Deputy Prime Minister Lal Kishenchand Advani and BJP president M Venkaiah Naidu on Thursday arrived in Ahmedabad to attend slain BJP leader and former Gujarat home and revenue minister Haren Pandya's funeral.
Security has been tightened in the state in view of the bandh called by the BJP to protest against Pandya's murder.
Advani and Naidu arrived by a special Indian Air Force plane at the Sardar Patel airport and were received by Chief Minister Narendra Modi, his cabinet colleagues and other leaders.
They then drove straight to Pandya's residence Neelam in the Paldi area.
Party workers shouted 'We want justice' when the duo arrived at Pandya's residence.
After placing wreaths on Pandya's body, the two leaders consoled his bereaved family.
Pandya's supporters raised anti-Modi slogans when Advani, Naidu and other leaders arrived. The deceased leader's angry relatives also complained to Advani about the Gujarat chief minister.
Later talking to mediapersons, Naidu said, "This is a tremendous loss to the family and the party. Pandya had established some great ideals for the party and workers."
Naidu expressed hope that the culprits will be nabbed soon with the combined efforts of central and state agencies as a CBI inquiry has been ordered by the state government.
The investigation would also look into the series of attacks on BJP and VHP leaders during the last few months in Gujarat, Naidu added.
After Advani left the venue, Pandya's body was taken to the BJP party office in Khanpur area of the walled city to enable supporters to pay their last respects.
His mortal remains would later be cremated at the V S Hospital crematorium.
Union ministers Arun Jaitley and Kashiram Rana, BJP national treasurer Harin Pathak, former chief minister Keshubhai Patel, former speaker Dhirubhai Shah, state Congress president Shankarsinh Vaghela, leader of opposition in the Vidhan Sabha Amarsinh Choudhary and other senior leaders of various political parties were among those who paid tributes to the departed leader.
