Thiruvananthapuram: Congress leaders across the country paid tribute to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on his 35th death anniversary on Thursday, remembering his contributions to India’s development and modernisation.

In Kerala, Chief Minister VD Satheesan, along with Minister Sunny Joseph and state Congress in-charge Deepa Dasmunshi, offered floral tributes to Rajiv Gandhi in Thiruvananthapuram. The leaders remembered his vision for the nation and his lasting legacy in public life.

In New Delhi, Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, and Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra paid homage to Rajiv Gandhi at Vir Bhumi. Priyanka Gandhi’s children, Miraya and Raihan Vadra, were also present during the tribute ceremony.

Several senior Congress leaders, including Ashok Gehlot, P. Chidambaram, Bhupinder Singh Hooda, and Mukul Wasnik, also visited Vir Bhumi to pay their respects.

In a post on X, Mallikarjun Kharge described Rajiv Gandhi as a “remarkable son of India” and highlighted his contributions to the country’s progress. Kharge said Rajiv Gandhi played a key role in lowering the voting age to 18, strengthening Panchayati Raj institutions, promoting the telecom and information technology revolution, advancing computerisation, launching the Universal Immunisation Programme, and introducing a modern education policy.

Rajiv Gandhi became India’s youngest Prime Minister at the age of 40 after taking office in October 1984 following the assassination of his mother and former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. He served as Prime Minister until December 1989.

Born on August 20, 1944, Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated on May 21, 1991, during an election rally in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu, in a suicide bombing carried out by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.