Is Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar all set to receive the prestigious Bharat Ratna in early 2025? the political circles both in the national capital and Patna are abuzz with the news after Janta Dal United (JDU) put-up posters in Patna before the JDU convention in October this year.

More recently, on December 25^th, Union Minister Giriraj Singh also demanded Bharat Ratna for Nitish Kumar.  Singh’s remarks gain significance in light of the Bihar BJP leadership’s recent comments stipulating that the NDA would contest the upcoming State Assembly elections under the leadership of JD(U) chief and incumbent CM Nitish Kumar.

Since then, there is a curious ‘whisper mongering’ among the political circles. On October 5, this year, JDU party convention was organized in Patna. An executive committee meeting was also convened which was to be chaired by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. A couple of days before the convention, hoardings with pictures of Nitish Kumar and senior JDU leaders were put up outside the JDU office and at important intersections of the city. Through the posters, a demand was made to the Government of India to award Bharat Ratna to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Interestingly, The Government of India conferred Bharat Ratna to 5 distinguished personalities in a single year 2024.

“The opposition parties in Bihar, including Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) slammed the government for ‘pressure tactics’ by JDU.”

In response to queries regarding the qualifications of Nitish for Bharat Ratna, JDU leaders came up with a list of achievements of the government under CM Nitish Kumar.  The leaders opined that after the formation of JDU government in 2005, the image of Bihar has changed globally, crime has reduced, education and health facilities have improved, there is a complete and successful liquor ban in the state.  The JDU also slammed the opposition, particularly the RJD, for turning Bihar into a ‘Bimaru State’ during their rule of more than two decades.

The whispering in the political circles also opined that the demand is not possible without a green signal from Nitish Kumar himself. Kumar, who loves to be in the limelight might have been the entire idea and is not a sudden demand by the party cadres. This may have been a part of a thoughtful strategy of Kumar.  

If one looks closely at the political graph of Nitish Kumar and JDU, it would be easy to find that nothing can be done without the knowledge of the chief minister now. This comes after party leader Bhim Singh had once without permission said that Nitish Kumar could be the face of the Prime Minister. On this Nitish Kumar had reprimanded him and since then there is a blanket ban on public comments by the lower cadre of the party without approval directly from Nitish Kumar particularly on issues which can jeopardize the future prospects of JDU relations with BJP. Interestingly, though Nitish knew about the posters during the convention, he attended the convention and said nothing about the issue of Bharat Ratna. Making it clear that he had the knowhow of the developments and had no problems with raising the issue.

 “Nitish Kumar understands his importance with the BJP at the centre. BJP has less options and despite having less seats Nitish was made the CM and perhaps BJP will have to project Kumar yet again in the upcoming Elections. BJP has less choices to pick from so his demands will be taken seriously at the centre.”

Nitish knows that If this bet works, then he will have the power to rebranding himself in Bihar. Despite the fact that his critics have named him ‘Paltu Ram’ for his habit of switching sides off and on.

However, if Nitish Kumar’s name is proposed for Bharat Ratna, he will be the second sitting Chief Minister, to get the highest civilian award of the country. The first being Dr. Bidhan Chandra Rai, who was the Chief Minister of West Bengal.

Bharat Ratna award was started in the year 1954 by the then President Dr. Rajendra Prasad. Since then, only 6 Chief Ministers have been awarded the Bharat Ratna. Most of them posthumously.  

Govind Ballabh Pant was awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1957. Pant participated in the country’s freedom struggle. At the same time, after independence, he became the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. He exemplary work includes the upliftment of farmers of Uttar Pradesh during his tenure.

West Bengal Chief Minister Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy is considered the creator of modern Bengal. He became the Chief Minister of West Bengal on 23 January 1948. He is one of the few people who received the degree of FRCS and MRCP simultaneously in India. He was awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1961.

Kumaraswamy Kamaraj took over as the Chief Minister of Madras State in 1954. His nine-year tenure as CM in Madras (now Tamil Nadu) is seen as the best period of administration. Under Kamaraj’s leadership, Madras’s industrial and agricultural sector developed on a large scale. He was awarded the President of India Award in 1976.

Former Chief Minister of Bihar Karpoori Thakur was conferred the nation’s highest honor posthumously by the President of India Droupadi Murmu after 35 years of his death recently.

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