When Atal Bihari Vajpayee met Mamata Banerjee's mother at her Kalighat home

The residents of Harish Chatterjee Street in South Kolkata still remembers the day in 2000 when the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee came calling to their narrow lane.

Vajpayee had come to visit Mamata Banerjee, the then Railway minister in his cabinet. Vajpayee, along with his family members, paid a visit to Banerjee's house and met her mother Gayatri Devi.

Vajpayee had touched Gayatri Devi's feet during the visit. He was greeted with the blowing of conch shells.

Remembering Vajpayee's visit to her Kalighat home in July 2000, Banerjee, before leaving for Delhi said today, "He (Vajpayee) had come to my residence and I am grateful to him for that. Both families share a very cordial relationship."

Pic Courtesy: Zee News

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today condoled the death of former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and said his passing away is a big loss to the country.

Banerjee, who was the Railway minister in Vajpayee government, said she would always cherish many fond memories.

"Very very saddened that the great statesman and former PM Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji is no more with us. His passing away is a very big loss to our nation. I will always cherish the many fond memories. Condolences to his family and his many admirers", she said in a tweet.

Vajpayee died at the AIIMS, New Delhi, following prolonged illness today.