Bharatiya Janata Party leaders and scores of activists on Thursday held a religious service at the party headquarters in New Delhi in honour of party general secretary Pramod Mahajan who passed away at a Mumbai hospital on Wednesday.
Pandits recited hymns seeking peace to the departed soul at the 'Shanthi Path' ceremony for over two hours.
Former Rashtiya Swayamsevak Sangh spokesman Ram Madhav, who visited the BJP office, described Mahajan as a "visionary and a dreamer".
"He dared to be different and yet succeeded and made a place for himself in the polity," he said.
"We were hoping that he (Mahajan) will have a bright future, but the wish of God is otherwise. His untimely death is a big loss to the party and to the country. We miss him when we need him the most," Madhav said.
Other leaders who attended the ceremony included J P Mathur, O P Kohli, Chandan Mitra and Anita Arya.
A two-minute silence was observed in memory of the departed leader.
Some old photographs of Mahajan were also put on display.
