In all my years of association with Atal Behari Vajpayeeji, I don’t remember him ever chastising anybody. I don’t even recall him being upset, because he was the kind of person who never wanted to inflict hurt. He would make his point of view heard with a sense of humour that could sweeten even the most poisonous barb. That was his style. Once, during a public meeting in Patna, he jumped the queue to speak first, for he had a flight to catch. Suddenly, Shatrughan Sinha arrived at the venue. A very popular actor at the time, Sinha’s arrival made the crowd, especially the young, go crazy. Sinha was enjoying the adulation, moving to and fro on the stage. Now, Vajpayeeji could have been upset by the interruption, but said instead: “If he is Bihari Babu then I am Atal Bihari.” The crowd swayed to Vajpayee’s tune now. That’s the kind of magician he was; who could mould crowds the way he wanted, and we all saw magic unfold in Parliament and outside.