"It's a welcome statement": BJD leader on Giriraj Singh's demand of Bharat Ratna to Naveen Patnaik
Dec 26, 2024
Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], December 26 : Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader Amar Patnaik on Thursday welcomed the demand raised by Union Minister Giriraj Singh that Bharat Ratna should be conferred upon Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and former Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik.
"It's a welcome statement... Naveen Patnaik has been working for the people of Odisha for the last 24 years with devotion and sincerity. If this recognition comes, we will welcome it. Whether this recognition comes or not, Naveen Patnaik is above all this," the BJD leader said.
Union Minister Giriraj Singh on Wednesday said that Bharat Ratna should be given to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and former Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik.
"Nitish Kumar has worked for the development of the state. Naveen Patnaik has also served Odisha for years. Such people should be honoured with awards like Bharat Ratna," Giriraj Singh told reporters.
He further said that the NDA government in Bihar will be formed under the leadership of Nitish Kumar. Nitish Kumar has been the Chief Minister for so many years. Today's children who have turned thirty have not seen Lalu ji's jungle raj," he added.
On Tuesday, Union Minister and JD(U) leader Rajiv Ranjan Singh said that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) will contest the 2025 Bihar Assembly election under the leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
"In the 2025 Bihar Assembly election, the NDA will contest under the leadership of Nitish Kumar," Ranjan Singh told ANI.
The ruling NDA did well in the Lok Sabha polls in Bihar. Apart from BJP, NDA in Bihar includes JD-U, LJP (Ram Vilas) and Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular).
Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi on Wednesday supported Union Minister Giriraj Singh's call to confer the Bharat Ratna on Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
"Nitish Kumar is not new to politics, nor has he faced any allegations of corruption. We support Giriraj Singh's statement," Manjhi said.
Notably, the Assembly elections for 243 assembly seats in Bihar are likely to be held at the end of 2025.
