The Janata Dal (United) on Saturday distanced itself from senior leader and former MP K C Tyagi's request to confer the Bharat Ratna on Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, stating that his remarks were "not in line with the party's ideology."
The statement came two days after K C Tyagi, in a letter addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday, described Kumar as a "precious gem" and urged the BJP-led Centre to confer the honour on him.
Responding to the letter, JD(U) national spokesperson Rajeev Ranjan Prasad said, "The former party MP has made several statements in the recent past which have not been in line with the party's ideology and not the official stand. All statements made by him shall be deemed to have been made in his personal capacity."
Office bearers in the JD(U) are "not sure whether Tyagi continues to hold any post in the party," he said.
In the letter, Tyagi thanked the Centre for honouring former prime minister Chaudhary Charan Singh and two-time former Bihar chief minister Karpoori Thakur with the Bharat Ratna.
"March 30, 2024, was a day to honour our ancestors. Thanks to your efforts, they were bestowed with the highest honour, the Bharat Ratna," he said.
"Inspired by these efforts, we request that Nitish Kumar, a precious gem of the socialist movement, is also worthy of this honour. Many heroes have received this honour during their lifetime. On behalf of millions of people, we hope and request that our beloved leader Nitish Kumar be bestowed with this honour so that history may long appreciate your efforts," he wrote.
Tyagi argued that Nitish Kumar’s long political career deserved national recognition, particularly for what he described as a sustained commitment to social justice, good governance and women’s empowerment.
"Nitish Kumar has given a new direction to the politics of governance and social equity, not only in Bihar but also in national public life," the former Rajya Sabha member remarked.
(With inputs from PTI)