Vajpayee should have got Bharat Ratna much earlier: Bihar CM Jitan Ram Manjhi

Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi on Wednesday hailed the decision to bestow Bharat Ratna to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and said he should have got it much earlier.

"Vajpayee jee is a towering personality. He deserves to get Bharat Ratna. I feel Vajpayee should have been given this honour much earlier," he told reporters.

Manjhi, who is heading JD(U) government in Bihar after resignation of Nitish Kumar in the wake of party debacle in the general election, extended warm greetings to Vajpayee on his 90th birthday on December 25. Nitish Kumar had also supported Bharat Ratna for Vajpayee on Tuesady and said he should have been given it during UPA rule itself. Kumar had served as minister in NDA government headed by Vajpayee.

Leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly Nand Kishore Yadav welcomed the Union government's decision to give Bharat Ratna to Vajpayee.

"His stature is above party politics," he said.