Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Sharad Pawar on Saturday expressed happiness over the Centre’s decision to confer Bharat Ratna on BJP stalwart and former deputy prime minister L K Advani and said he has contributed significantly towards the development of the nation.

Pawar told reporters here that he and Advani subscribe to different political ideologies, but the BJP leader was a good parliamentarian and Union minister.

In a tweet, Pawar also said he was glad that Advani would be conferred Bharat Ratna. Advani has made immense contributions to the development of the country, the NCP founder said.

Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that Advani (96) would be conferred the Bharat Ratna, the country's highest civilian award.

“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,” Modi said on X.

The prime minister said the conferring of the Bharat Ratna on Advani is a very "emotional moment for me".

Modi spoke to the BJP’s longest-serving president, who is credited with crafting the party's rise through the 90s when it came to power for the first time with Atal Bihari Vajpayee heading a coalition government, and congratulated him.

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