Delhi BJP chief buys Vajpayee's bathing photo at PM's memento auction

Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari on Sunday bought a photograph of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee (1924-2018), in which he is seen bathing, at a live auction of mementos gifted to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The politician selected the photograph from an array of 1800 mementos and presents gifted to PM Modi since he assumed office in 2014.

"I also bathed the body of Atalji after his death. This photograph is of him sitting and bathing years ago, and I want to keep the print for myself," Tiwari told IANS, on the sidelines of the auction being held at the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA). A musical instrument Pakhawaj, used by tribal groups, a long sword, and a memento showing Patna city, were some of the other purchases of the leader hailing from Bihar.

The two-day live auction will conclude on Monday, and an e-auction of the remaining items will take place online on www.pmmementos.gov.in from Tuesday to Thursday. The funds raised from the auction will be utilised for the Namami Gange project, organisers said.