Lucknow (PTI): Close on the heels of BJP leader leader L K Advani demanding Bharat Ratna for former Premier Atal Behari Vajpayee, BSP supremo Mayawati on Saturday said the country's highest civilian award should also be conferred on party founder late Kanshi Ram.

"Kanshi Ram should also be conferred Bharat Ratna for his invaluable contributions in the uplift of dalits and the oppressed," she said at a hurriedly-called press conference here.

The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister made it clear that she was not opposed to conferring Bharat Ratna on Vajpayee or on CPI-M veteran Jyoti Basu.

"I have to come to know through the media that the government of India is considering to confer Bharat Ratna on Vajpayee and Basu. I support it but at the same time it should also be given to Kanshi Ram," Mayawati said.