Congress president Rahul Gandhi yesterday said India has lost a great son and will miss former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who died at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences. Offering his condolences to Vajpayee's family and admirers, Gandhi said the former prime minister was loved and respected by millions.

"Today India lost a great son. Former PM, Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji, was loved and respected by millions. My condolences to his family and all his admirers. We will miss him," he said on Twitter. Vajpayee, one of India's most charismatic leaders who led the nation through several crises and held together a tenuous coalition with his inclusive politics, died here today evening.