Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Friday congratulated former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on being conferred with the Bharat Ratna.
Vajpayee was on Friday awarded India's highest civilian honour by President Pranab Mukherjee in a brief ceremony at the former's home here.
In a letter to the 90-year-old Bharatiya Janata Party leader, Gandhi called the award a "fitting recognition of your statesmanship, wisdom and deep commitment to national interest during your prime ministership, and indeed throughout your years in politics".
"Your broad and large-hearted vision, your patriotism, and eloquent oratory have always embraced the the entire political spectrum and all sections of our society," she added.
Extending her felicitation, Gandhi expressed sharing "the joy of your family and friends as well as of millions of Indians, at your being awarded the nation's highest civilian honour".