PATNA/BEGUSARAI: Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, said to be smarting from home minister Amit Shah’s refusal to commit to NDA’s chief ministerial choice for next year’s poll, received what some see as a placating recommendation for the Bharat Ratna from Union minister and BJP veteran Giriraj Singh on Wednesday.
Giriraj, MP from Begusarai, said he was highly impressed with Nitish’s performance as CM since returning to the NDA fold and advised young voters to take note of the difference in governance by the BJP-led alliance and the govts RJD led. The statement has drawn surprise, given Singh’s history of sharp criticism towards Kumar.
“Bihar was infamous for jungle raj and decrepit roads, schools, and other institutions until Nitish Kumar took the state to new heights. Such people deserve to be honoured with the Bharat Ratna,” Giriraj said on the sidelines of an event to mark the birth anniversary of AB Vajpayee.
He named Odisha’s former CM Naveen Patnaik as another deserving candidate for India’s highest civilian award.