Posters seeking Bharat Ratna for Nitish seen outside JD(U) office in Patna

Posters demanding the highest civilian award Bharat Ratna for Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar were on Saturday put up by his Janata Dal (United) at several places in the state capital.

One such poster was seen right next to the entrance gate of the JD(U) office at Birchand Patel Marg where, incidentally, the party supremo was attending its state executive meeting.

A senior party leader, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, "We cannot say that demand for Bharat Ratna is the JD(U)'s official stand. Maybe, out of a sense of modesty, our leader would even frown upon such vehemence. But deep within every JD(U) worker believes that Nitish Kumar deserves the highest honour".

Kumar is the longest-serving chief minister of the state, who has been in the highest seat of power since 2005, except for a few months when Jitan Ram Manjhi, now a Union minister, had occupied the post.

Kumar, who is set to lead the NDA in the assembly polls due next year, had formerly enjoyed a successful stint as Union minister, with key portfolios like agriculture and Railways, in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee cabinet.

Meanwhile, the opposition RJD tried to drive a wedge between the JD(U) and its ally BJP, accusing the latter of sabotage.

"Nitish Kumar is under pressure from the BJP to vacate his chair. The JD(U) meeting has been called to find a way out. The posters demanding Bharat Ratna are proof that the party is in disarray", claimed RJD spokesman Mrityunjay Tiwary.

Notably, the JD(U) and the BJP realigned in January this year when Kumar snapped his less-than-two-year long alliance with the RJD, Congress and the Left combine.