Lucknow, Mar 31: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, on Sunday, extended congratulations to Lal Krishna Advani, the former Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister, for being conferred with the prestigious 'Bharat Ratna' award.

In a social media post on X, CM Yogi wrote, "Hearty congratulations to the senior member of the BJP family and the guide of all of us, former Deputy Prime Minister, respected Shri LK Advani ji, on being presented 'Bharat Ratna' by the honourable President Smt. Draupadi Murmu ji today! This decoration acknowledges his dedication to the citizens, his unwavering commitment to the principle of 'Nation First,' and his indelible contributions to the realization of 'Ek Bharat - Shrestha Bharat'."

President Droupadi Murmu, on Sunday conferred the Bharat Ratna upon veteran Bharatiya Janata Party leader LK Advani at the latter's residence in Delhi.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, former Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu were also present on this occasion.
Taking to X, Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted the significance of former Union Minister LK Advani being bestowed with the Bharat Ratna.

"It was very special to witness the conferring of the Bharat Ratna upon Shri LK Advani Ji. This honour is a recognition of his enduring contributions to our nation's progress. His dedication to public service and his pivotal role in shaping modern India have left an indelible mark on our history. I am proud to have got the opportunity to work with him very closely over the last several decades," PM Modi posted on X.

Born in Karachi, in present day Pakistan, on November 8, 1927, Advani through the years had served as the President of the Bharatiya Janata Party for the longest period since its inception in 1980. Capping a parliamentary career of nearly three decades, he was, first, the Home Minister and, later, the Deputy Prime Minister in the cabinet of Atal Bihari Vajpayee (1999-2004).

(ANI)