From Rath Yatra to Bharat Ratna: Reflecting on LK Advani’s long political career

On Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his official X account announced that BJP veteran Lal Krishna Advani will be honoured with Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award in India.

During his long political career, Advani has occupied several government posts. He served as the Deputy Prime Minister in Atal Bihari Vajpayee government.

Like Indian Prime Minister Modi, Advani has also made a significant contribution towards Bhartiya Janta Party’s rise at the political stage in India. His contributions have been instrumental in establishing the BJP as the political representation of the RSS.

In 1957, he delved into mainstream politics which included assisting Atal Bihari Vajpayee and other newly elected Jana Sangha MPs in their parliamentary work.

It was the Rath Yatra from Somnath to Ayodhya for gathering support for the Sree Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir in 1990, that put Advani at the center of national politics.

After the Rath Yatra, Advani entered Ayodhya to carry out kar seva. This series of events eventually led to the demolition of the Babri Masjid on December 6, 1992.

It is also believed that Advani has a crucial part to play in Modi’s political success. He supported Modi as a young RSS worker and within the BJP, helping him eventually become Gujarat’s Chief Minister in the early 2000s