Playing host to two VVIPs

SHIMLA, June 22: Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee complimented the citizens of Shimla for having a rare honour of playing a host for two ...

SHIMLA, June 22: Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee complimented the citizens of Shimla for having a rare honour of playing a host for two top VVIPs of the country today.

During the course of his minute speech, he told the audience 8220;you are very lucky to have two national personalities together in Shimla. President K. R. Narayanan is already here for his summer sojourn at The Retreat and now Prime Minister is also with you. When both of us are here, who is in Delhi?8221; he remarked. He, however, hastened to assure that everything was well in Delhi

Soon after his arrival, Prime Minister drove straight to The Retreat and called on Prime Minister K. R. Narayanan. Both were together for over half an hour. Later, Vajpayee reached The Ridge to address the rally.

A large number of people came to the rally in their traditional attires dancing to the tunes of folk music. Theog, earlier represented by BJP leader Rakesh Verma, dominated the entire show of the BJP as over 40 buses came from the area. The children from local Tara Hall School presented a ballad based on popular song of A. R. Rehman 8220;vande matram.8221;Prime Minister got kudos from the women folk but he asked the men folk to get ready to share household burden with their spouses as the government was considering to give them reservation in the legislatures and make them participants in power.

The people had started taking their place at the Ridge right from 9 a.m. though the Prime Minister was due to arrive at 12 p.m, though he finally made it at 12.25 p.m.

According to official reports, about 40,000 people listened to the speech of Prime Minister from the historic Ridge amidst tight security.

The public address system failed for 65-seconds during the Prime Minister8217;s speech. The audience chanted slogans like Vajpayee Ko Jai Shriram till the system was restored.