Bharat Ratna Demand For Nitish BJP Ploy?

'Demand to confer Bharat Ratna on Nitishji is to sideline him in politics.'

No Bharat Ratna was announced in this year's Republic Day honours list, which must have disappointed Janata Dal-United leader K C Tyagi who is rooting for the nation's highest civilian honour to be conferred on Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

Tyagi had urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi a couple of weeks ago to bestow the Bharat Ratna on Nitish Kumar, a demand that the JD-U refused to endorse.

JD-U National Spokesperson Rajeev Ranjan Prasad and party Chief Spokesperson Neeraj Kumar made it clear that Tyagi's statement was made in his personal capacity, and that the party had nothing to do with it.

"Tyagi's statements have nothing to do with the party's official stand," Rajeev Ranjan Prasad said, adding, "his views do not reflect the policies, decisions or official stand of the party, and in future he will have no involvement in any statement issued by the party."

Neeraj Kumar, a former Bihar minister who is considered close to Nitish Kumar, said the JD-U has nothing to do with what Tyagi says or demands.

Nitish Kumar Unhappy With Bharat Ratna Demand

A senior JD-U leader said the party is not in favour of Tyagi's demand to confer the Bharat Ratna on Nitish Kumar. "Nitishji abhi active hai, retire nahi huye hai ki unko Bharat Ratna de de. Nitishji politics mein bane rahenge aage bhi. (Nitish Kumar is still active in politics. He has not retired that he should be given the Bharat Ratna. He will continue in politics.)"

Nitish Kumar, another JD-U leader said, is not happy with Tyagi's request to confer the Bharat Ratna on him. "The demand to confer the Bharat Ratna on him is to sideline Nitishji in politics and force him to retire from politics. The party strongly favours him to continue in politics and to lead the party."

A political observer in Patna said Tyagi has been sidelined in the JD-U after the Bharat Ratna demand.

"The BJP has been wanting to replace Nitish Kumar and put one of its leaders in the CM's chair. Tyagi's demand is part of that strategy, but it has failed," this observer stated.

In 2024, Bharatiya Janata Party leader and Union Minister Giriraj Singh had demanded the Bharat Ratna for Nitish Kumar. The JD-U had then refused to back Singh's demand.