Emotional LK Advani hails Bharat Ratna for Vajpayee

BJP veteran L K Advani on Wednesday became emotional as he hailed the announcement of Bharat Ratna for Atal Bihari Vajpayee with whom he has shared over five decades of close relationship.

Describing Vajpayee as an “outstanding patriot”, Advani said the 90-year-old leader was the only former Prime Minister with a longish tenure whose term was “without any blemish”.

He regretted that the former UPA government had not honoured Vajpayee with the highest civilian award as he recalled that he had written to the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in this regard in 2008. “I wholeheartedly welcome the decision of the government to honour two outstanding patriots with Bharat Ratna,” he told PTI soon after an official announcement was made.