Mr Advani said that Mr Vajpayee deserves Bharat Ratna because he has been a Prime Minister with a blemish free record.
As the government named former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee for the Bharat Ratna, his friend and political fellow traveller LK Advani, who has lobbied for the award for him, said he deserved the country's highest civilian honour.
In an interview to NDTV, he said that Mr Vajpayee deserves the award because he has been a Prime Minister with a blemish free record.
"In case of Indira Gandhi also, though she also acquitted herself well generally, but no one can forget the Emergency; certainly not persons like me," he said.
Mr Advani also said that Kargil conflict and Gujarat riots, both of which took place under Mr Vajpayee's watch were not a blot on his record.
"Kargil was something done by General Musharraf against the wishes of his government, perhaps. At least, that is what those in the army claim. As for the Gujarat riots, you cannot blame Atalji for that. I'm talking about the Prime Ministers. That happened in a state," Mr Advani said.
The BJP leader said that the Bharat Ratna should go to someone "who is a patriot, a person whose own personal record is without flaw. And whether he is from the field of sports or politics or cinema, any outstanding person who is respected by the whole nation."