New Delhi, Feb 3 (IANS): Former Deputy Prime Minister Lal Krishna Advani will be conferred the Bharat Ratna, announced Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday. A BJP stalwart, Advani is also the founding member of Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP).

Born on November 8, 1927, 96-year-old Advani served as the 7th Deputy Prime Minister of India from 2002 to 2004. He is the longest serving Minister of Home Affairs serving from 1998 to 2004. He is also the longest serving Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha. He was the prime ministerial candidate of the BJP during the 2009 general election.

The Prime Minister took to his personal X handle to announce the highest civilian award for LK Advani and informed that he also congratulated the party veteran on being conferred with the nation’s highest civilian honour.

"I am very happy to share that LK Advani will be conferred the Bharat Ratna. I also spoke to him and congratulated him on being conferred this honour..," PM Narendra Modi tweeted.

Notably, Bharat Ratna is the nation’s highest civilian award, given as a mark of recognition for exceptional & distinguished service.

Showering praises on the towering stature & exemplary leadership of BJP patriarch, PM Modi wrote, “One of the most respected statesmen of our times, his contribution to the development of India is monumental. His is a life that started from working at the grassroots to serving the nation as our Deputy Prime Minister. He distinguished himself as our Home Minister and I&B Minister as well.”

Advani is widely credited as one of the tallest leaders who scripted BJP’s rise from ‘oblivion to prominence’. It was after his Rath Yatra in 1990s that catapulted the saffron party into national politics.

For the unversed, LK Advani is the second BJP stalwart to be conferred with Bharat Ratna. Prior to him, former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was also honored with Bharat Ratna in 2015.