The 93-year-old veteran politician, who died at 05.05 pm, was also put on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support on his last day, they said.
The decision appears to have been taken in view of the likely dissolution of Lok Sabha in the first week of next month.
'The NDA leaders expressed total confidence in the prime minister's wisdom in deciding the dates for the polls,' George Fernandes said.
The issue gains importance in view of the recent attempt on the life of President Gen Pervez Musharraf in Islamabad.
According his new year greetings to the country from Goa, the prime minister touched upon Hindutva, saying it is liberating and brooks no ill will, hatred or violence among different communities on any ground.
"It would not be proper for Vajpayeeji to contest and lose. Any other nominee would feel that he contested and lost," Vijay Kumar Malhotra, deputy leader of BJP said in an informal chat with this correspondent.
The Congress on Monday gave a clean chit to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and spiritual preacher Deoraha Baba, whose names figure in the list of those found culpable by the Liberhan Commission, for the demolition of the Babri Masjid on December 6, 1992. "Vajpayee's name was not in the conspiracy (to demolish Babri mosque). His name was only in one of the lists," Minority Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid said.
The Indian prime minister said end of cross-border terrorism and dismantling of terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan will create the atmosphere for talks.
The prime minister was accompanied by three Union ministers C P Thakur, Bijoya Chakraborty and Ashok Pradhan.
Rehman had suggested that the Simla Agreement and the Lahore Declaration could be the basis for normalisation of Indo-Pak ties.
'We want our military tanks in Lahore, missiles in Rawalpindi and the saffron flag in Karachi,' Togadia said at a trishul diksha programme in Delhi.
His observations came as news reports spoke of Modi, the Hindutva icon, being angry with Singh's decision.
Books and films were the bonding factors for his friendship with former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Lal Kishenchand Advani said.
Expressing serious concern over "two distinct voices" that have emerged "louder" after the Gujarat election, the prime minister said Hindutva was being projected by "some people in a narrow, rigid and extremist manner."
The VVIP intensive care unit at AIIMS is now reverberating with old Hindi film music with former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who is recuperating here, requesting for the songs to be played on the radio.
Besides Beijing, Vajpayee would travel to Shanghai, China's largest city and commercial hub, and the Buddhist city of Luoyang in central China.
I have been forced to retire at the age of 45. I wanted to go on a pilgrimage, but Advaniji asked me not to go. I have never asked for any post, but was hoping that I would be given some responsibility. But it did not happen."
'Good sense will prevail even on those who are opposing it and together we will fulfil Paramhans's dream,'
Before leaving for a six-day visit to China, the prime minister said India accorded 'top priority' to ties with China.
Mohite is expected to replace Heavy Industries Minister Balasaheb Vikhe Patil, who has resigned on the directive of his party chief Bal Thackeray.
The National Security Adviser during his visit to the US had an unscheduled substantive meeting with US President George W Bush.
The prime minister gave this assurance to an all-party delegation from Manipur led by Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh. Singh also wanted a constitutional amendment in this regard.
"In the NDA's meeting, it was decided to authorise Vajpayeeji to nominate a person of his choice by holding talks," NDA convenor George Fernandes told newsmen outside the residence of the former PM.
Vajpayee's statement comes as a setback to Bharti, who had himself incurred the wrath of the entire second generation\nleadership in the party earlier.
The Indian prime minister described his Israeli counterpart's visit as an important landmark in bilateral relations.
The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said he was betrayed by the BJP-RSS leadership.
Replying to a letter from former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on June 15, Singh emphasised there was no room for ambiguity regarding India's position on Jammu and Kashmir in its discussions with Pakistan or actions.
The prime minister had a puja at his residence followed by breakfast with his deputy Advani and his family.
He was returning to Delhi after a day's visit to Lucknow when his plane was diverted to Jaipur.
