The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday celebrated the 99th birthday of party veteran and former Deputy Prime Minister Lal Krishna Advani, as he entered his 100th year. Special prayers, a sacred havan, and video screenings were organised at the party's national headquarters in New Delhi to mark the milestone, which fittingly coincided with the festival of Diwali.

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Attended by senior leaders, including BJP National President Nitin Nabin, Union Minister Piyush Goyal, and Advani's daughter Pratibha Advani, the occasion sparked heartfelt tributes from political figures across party lines, even as it rekindled sharp political debates over his historical legacy.

The day’s proceedings included a 20-minute video presentation celebrating the veteran leader's long political journey. Born in Karachi in 1927, Advani joined the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh in 1942, endured the pain of Partition, and later served as the longest-tenured BJP president. He held major Cabinet portfolios, including Information and Broadcasting, Home Affairs, and Deputy Prime Minister. Earlier this year, President Droupadi Murmu conferred upon him India’s highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna.

Prime Minister Modi leads glowing tributes from party leaders

Prime Minister Narendra Modi penned a special signed article published across major national newspapers to mark the occasion. Reflecting on Advani's contribution, the Prime Minister highlighted his ideological clarity and his decades-long partnership with former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

"Two qualities always set Advani Ji apart as a leader. First, his ideological clarity and intellectual sharpness... Second, the manner in which he exposed the pseudo-secularism propounded by a large section of the Indian polity," Modi wrote. He noted how Advani rebuilt his life after Partition without bitterness and led the historic 1990 Somnath to Ayodhya Rath Yatra, which transformed Indian politics and laid the groundwork for the Ram Temple.

BJP president Nitin Nabin recalled the early struggles of the party, pointing out how Vajpayee and Advani built the organisation from a parliamentary strength of just two seats into a dominant political force.

"When the BJP was reduced to just two MPs in Parliament, many dismissed its future. Yet, amidst that atmosphere of despair, it was the unyielding resolve of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and LK Advani that offered a ray of hope," Nabin said. He added that the grand Shri Ram Temple now standing in Ayodhya represents the culmination of the journey Advani set in motion.

Cross-party greetings reflect wide political respect

Tributes crossed party lines as Congress Rajya Sabha MP Rajeev Shukla extended warm greetings on social media, describing Advani as a "senior statesman" and wishing him good health and long life.

Within the ruling party, senior Cabinet ministers lauded Advani's character and service. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh stated that the veteran leader set new benchmarks for public conduct throughout his career.

"Throughout his long public life, Advani ji has set new standards of integrity, dedication and leadership, and through them has made an invaluable contribution to nation-building," Singh said. Home Minister Amit Shah called him an architect of the party, while Union Minister Piyush Goyal fondly remembered Advani’s approachable nature, noting that party workers affectionately called him 'dada'.

Opposition claims veteran leader pushed into political exile

Despite the celebratory atmosphere at the party headquarters, the milestone also sparked sharp political controversy. Shiv Sena (UBT) Member of Parliament Sanjay Raut launched a scathing attack on the current BJP leadership, accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah of sidelining the party co-founder after coming to power.

Raut argued that the present leadership achieved power by riding on the political momentum created by Advani’s historic Ram Rath Yatra, only to marginalise him later.

"The very power that Modi-ji wields today is something for which he ought to credit Advani-sahab," Raut stated. "Yet, in the era of Modi, Shah, and Fadnavis, the BJP has effectively consigned Advani, the very man who built the party, to 12 years of exile."

Raut further alleged that Advani was excluded during the landmark consecration ceremony of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, despite dedicating his life to the movement. The opposition leader added that Advani had quietly endured mental anguish over the past twelve years, asserting that the party's founders deserve respect rather than being cast aside once power is secured.