Question

Consider the following statements regarding Atal Bihari Vajpayee :

a. He was the Prime Minister of India from 1996 to 2004, three times.

b. He was a member of the Lok Sabha eight times and Rajya Sabha thrice.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct ? 

1. a only
2. b only
3. both a and b
4. Neither a nor b

Answer 1

Correct Answer - Option 1 : a only

The correct answer is Option 1 i.e  He was the Prime Minister of India from 1996 to 2004, three times.

• Atal Bihari Vajpayee ( 1924- 2018), leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) & was three times the Prime minister of India (1996, 1998–1999, 1999-2004).
• Vajpayee was first elected to the parliament in 1957 as a member of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh (BJS).
• He was a member of the Indian Parliament for over five decades.
• He was elected ten times to the Lok Sabha, and twice to the Rajya Sabha, Hence, option 2 is incorrect.

• Appointments:
  • 1968 to 1972: President of Bharatiya Jana Sangh,
  • March 1977: Vajpayee became the Minister of External Affairs in the cabinet of Prime Minister Morarji Desai.
  • 1980: 1st President of Bharatiya Janta Party,
  • As Prime Minister:
    • First term: May 1996: only 13 days, after failing to attract support from other parties.
    • Second term: 1998–1999: BJP won a record number of seats,
    • Third term: 1999–2004.   Hence, option 1 is correct.
• During his tenure as Prime minister, India carried out the Pokhran-II nuclear tests in 1998.
• Vajpayee announced his retirement from politics at the end of 2005.

• Awards:
  • 1992: Padam Vibhusan,
  • 1999: Grand Cordon of the Order of Ouissam Alaouite, Morocco, 
  • 2015: He was awarded the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honour,
  • 2016:  Bangladesh Liberation War Honour.
• In remembrance:
  • In August 2018, Naya Raipur was renamed as Atal Nagar(Chattisgarh).
  • The world's longest tunnel, Atal Tunnel at Rohtang, Himachal Pradesh.
  • The third longest cable-stayed bridge in India over the Mandovi River, Atal Setu was named in his memory.
  • 25 December each year, would be marked as Good Governance Day.

• Notes:
  • BJP:
    • established in 1951.
    • 1st President: Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
    • Current President: Jagat Prakash Nadda.
  • Civilian Awards:
    • Highest civilian award- Bharat Ratna.
    • 2nd Highest- Padam Vibhusan.
    • 3rd Highest- Padam Bhusan
      • all instituted in 1954.