Bharat Ratna divides the Bihar Grand Alliance

PATNA: When the state’s former chief minister, Karpoori Thakur, also known as Jannayak, was posthumously awarded India’s highest civilian honor, the Bharat Ratna, by the Modi administration, the ruling Grand Alliance in Bihar looked split on whether to grant desires.

Prime Minister Modi was congratulated by JD(U), while the Bihar Congress and RJD said that the decision was made with political motivations in mind, perhaps in light of the approaching Lok Sabha elections.
Leading the charge was JD(U) CM Nitish Kumar, who expressed his satisfaction with the outcome. “The highest civilian honour given to late Karpoori Thakur ji on his 100th birth anniversary will create positive sentiments among the Dalits, deprived and neglected sections,” Nitish remarked at a news conference on Tuesday. He said that he has always supported giving the communist leader the Bharat Ratna.
JD(U) leader and minister of social welfare Madan Sahani greeted PM Modi and expressed his sincere thanks for the choice.
RJD praised the action, claiming “political compulsions” were behind it. Shakti Singh Yadav, the top spokesman for the RJD, stated: “Our MP Manoj Kumar Jha brought up the matter in Parliament, although our leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav had made the demand. BJP made this choice under political pressure because it was terrified of our persistent requests.”
Congress applauded the decision as well, but they also noted that it was seen as a politically driven action. “Karpoori-ji deserved that honour… but one thing that is clear is that the decision has been taken keeping in mind the 2024 Lok Sabha polls,” said senior Congress leader Tariq Anwar.
Prem Chandra Mishra, a Congress MLA and panelist on AICC media, asked the BJP to adhere to Karpoori Thakur’s principles and accused them of playing politics during an election year. According to Mishra, Thakur was an outstanding leader who accomplished a “tremendous job in the field of social justice”.
Political parties are competing to mark the centennial of the late Thakur’s birth, who belonged to the extremely backward caste (EBC), therefore the BJP’s choice is anticipated to have an effect on the political scene. Parties are trying to win over EBC votes after a recent caste study in Bihar found that 36% of people identify as EBC.