Patna: Senior Janata Dal (United) leader and former MP KC Tyagi has formally urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to confer India’s highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna, on Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, describing him as a “precious gem of the socialist movement”.
In a letter dated January 8, 2026, Tyagi argued that Nitish Kumar’s long political career merits national recognition, particularly for what he described as a sustained commitment to social justice, good governance, women’s empowerment and development. “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,” Tyagi wrote.
The JD(U) leader noted that the Bharat Ratna has previously been awarded to living leaders and said Nitish Kumar should not be excluded on that ground. He recalled that, during PM Modi’s tenure, socialist stalwarts such as Chaudhary Charan Singh and Karpoori Thakur were posthumously honoured with the award in March 2024.
Calling that decision “historic”, Tyagi said it recognised leaders who fought for farmers, backward classes and marginalised communities. He suggested that honouring Nitish Kumar would place him in the same ideological lineage and reinforce the legacy of socialist politics in independent India.
“On behalf of millions of people, there is hope and expectation that Nitish Kumar will be awarded the Bharat Ratna, so that future generations remember this tradition of social justice and good governance,” Tyagi wrote, adding that such a decision would also be remembered as a significant moment of PM Modi’s prime ministership.
The letter has drawn attention not only for its substance but also for its political timing. Tyagi’s role within the JD(U) has been the subject of internal discussion in recent months, and his direct appeal to the prime minister is being read by observers as both a reaffirmation of loyalty to Nitish Kumar and an attempt to elevate the Bihar chief minister’s national stature.
