NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday paid tribute to former prime minister Chandra Shekhar on his birth anniversary, lauding him as an exemplary leader who rose from the grassroots and made rich contributions to national progress.

In a post on X, Modi said, "He is remembered for his emphasis on serving the poor and downtrodden. He was also at the forefront of resisting the Emergency and safeguarding our democratic ideals."

Born in the Ballia district of Uttar Pradesh in 1927, Chandra Shekhar was a stalwart socialist leader who briefly headed a minority government. His son Neeraj Shekhar is a BJP MP and is contesting the Lok Sabha elections from the Ballia constituency.