Some call him modern-day 'Chanakya', others call him 'Iron Man' of India and Hanuman of Prime Minister Narendra Modi but for Haryana leaders, Union Home Minister and BJP president Amit Shah is more than what meets one's eyes.
Shah, who was here to address his first public rally after the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, was on Thursday hailed by state leaders as "Laxman", "Steel Man" of India and the world's "Greatest Strategist".
Addressing the gathering at his home turf, former Union Minister Chaudhary Birender Singh described Prime Minister Narendra Modi as Ram and Shah as his younger brother Laxman. He also called him 'Steel Man' of India.
"Sardar Patel is called the Iron Man of India for integrating several princely states. But Shah integrated the nation by removing Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir. So I would say he is a Man of Steel. He is the Iron Man of the nation," he said.
He further said some describe him as "Saarthi" referring to Krishna-Arjuna of Mahabharata but for him, Shah was Laxam of Ramayana.
"You are Laxman of Modiji," he said.
Addressing a rally in Haryana's Sonipat, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had on Thursday described Modi-Shah as Krishna-Arjun. However, Khattar on Friday's rally described Shah as the Iron Man of India.
"You are the Home Minister of the country but you are the Iron Man of the country. Removing Article 370 was a dream since the days of Jan Sangh. You have made our dream true," he said. He said the decision would bring Kashmir into the mainstream and would unite the country.
The Chief Minister said that the resolution was passed by the Parliament, the state Assembly also adopted a unmous resolution thanking the Prime Minister band the Home Minister.
"No one could oppose it in the Assembly. They supported it going against the wishes of their top leadership," he said adding that every month a soldier from Haryana gets martyred for the country.
State BJP chief Subhash Barala termed Shah as the world's greatest election strategist and hailed him for removing Article 370.
"It was our dream which was fulfilled after 70 years. This shows if BJP promises something to people, it delivers," he said.
Shah, known as an astute strategist, is often hailed as the BJP's most successful president for crafting its way to power state after state.
It was under Shah as BJP Chief the saffron party returned to power with a huge mandate at the Centre. In 2014, Shah was election in-charge of Uttar Pradesh where the BJP won 73 of the total 80 seats.
A man with an avowed aim of having the BJP rule from "panchayat to Parliament" was appointed BJP president after Modi became the Prime Minister and inducted then party chief Rajnath Singh into his Cabinet as Home Minister.
Since he took over in 2014, the BJP has won Assembly polls of several states including Haryana, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh.
( With inputs from ANI )