Former Prime Minister of India PV Narasimha Rao. (File pic IE)

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has demanded to confer the Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award in the country, on former PM PV Narasimha Rao. KCR said that Narasimha Rao changed the country’s destiny for the better and deserves the award.

KCR said that the Telenagana cabinet and the state legislature will pass a resolution in this regard. Besides, the CM said he will personally meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi to put forward the demand.

“PV was a leader that the country should be proud of. He had changed the country’s destiny for the better. PV is completely eligible to get the Bharat Ratna. I will personally meet Modi and request him to confer Bharat Ratna on PV,” KCR said in a statement on Tuesday.

The demand comes a few days after the Telangana government unveiled plans to organise year-long centenary celebrations of Narasimha Rao on a grand scale.

PV Narasimha Rao served as the ninth Prime Minister of India from 1991 to 1996. He was born on June 28, 1921 in Warangal, now in Telangana.

As per the plan announced by CM KCR, the main programme on June 28 will be organised at PV Gnana Bhoomi in Hyderabad. PV Gnana Bhoomi is the samadhi of the former Prime Minister. Programmes will also be held at 50 locations worldwide around the same time.

KCR said Narasimha Rao has a history for which “every Telanganite can proudly say PV is Telangana’s pride”. He said programmes will be organised for one year on his greatness so that his services are known to the world.