TDP presses for Bharat Ratna for eldermen

Hyderabad, Jan 14 (UNI) Joining clamour of Bharat Ratna award seekers for their mentors, Telugu Desam Party President N Chandrababu Naidu today opined that a long list of national leaders, including TDP founder N T Rama Rao, should be conferred with the top civilian award.

Former Deputy Prime Minister Jagjeevan Ram, veteran CPI(M) leader and former West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu, Bahujan Samaj Party founder Kanshi Ram and Biju Janata Dal founder and former Orissa Chief Minister Biju Patnaik were among the national leaders who deserved the coveted award, he told reporters here.

Mr Naidu, however, parried a question on whether former Prime Minister A B Vajpayee should be given the award.

It may be recalled that senior BJP leader L K Advani had sought the honour for Mr Vajpayee, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati for Mr Kanshi Ram and Congress leader M Veerappa Moily for Mr Basu.

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