Leaders across party lines cheer Bharat Ratna for Chaudhary Charan Singh, PV Narasimha Rao, MS Swaminathan

Leaders across political parties have hailed the decision to award Bharat Ratna to PV Narasimha Rao, Chaudhary Charan Singh and M S Swaminathan. BJP leaders insisted that the honour was ‘long overdue’ and hailed the Narendra Modi government for “rising above party politics". The development also came mere days after the administration conferred the country's highest civilian honour for LK Advani and Karpoori Thakur — taking the recipient count to 53.

“PV Narasimha Rao, Chaudhary Charan Singh and Dr. MS Swaminathan were, are and will always be the 'Bharat ke Ratna'. Their contribution was unprecedented, which every Indian respects," said Congress spokesperson Jairam Ramesh.

“I welcome them... why not," added Sonia Gandhi.

Congress leader Rajeev Shukla, however, said the BJP-led Centre is honouring former prime minister P V Narasimha Rao, while it has also brought a "white paper" on the economy during the government of Manmohan Singh, who was the finance minister under Rao.

“Congratulations to all the farmer leaders and parties who had demanded from time to time that the former Prime Minister and farmer leader of the country who spent his entire life bringing poor farmers on the path to prosperity should be given Bharat Ratna. The Samajwadi Party also demanded that Chaudhary Charan Singh should be given Bharat Ratna. Congratulations to all other leaders who will be given the Bharat Ratna," said Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav.

“They are gems of India who have been given Bharat Ratna. Not just the three names announced today, Karpuri Thakur and L K Advani, whose names were announced some days ago, all of them are gems," said Janata Dal (United) MP Rajeev Ranjan Singh.

Members of the BJP also hailed the move — dubbing