Patna: BJP leader and Union Minister Giriraj Singh has demanded India’s highest civilian award – Bharat Ratna – for Bihar Chief Minister and NDA ally Nitish Kumar and former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.

Speaking to reporters, Giriraj Singh said, “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.”

“NDA government will be formed again in Bihar. 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,” Giriraj Singh said as he hit out at Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD).

Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United) is a key NDA alliance partner in Bihar as well in Centre.

Earlier, JD(U) leader Rajiv Ranjan said that the NDA will contest next year’s Assembly polls 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 said.

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).

Nitish Kumar toppled the Mahagathbandhan government a few months before the 2024 Lok Sabha election and again formed a government with the BJP.

BJP is senior partner in the NDA in the state. While BJP has 84 MLAs, JD(U) has 48 in the State Assembly. Notably, the Assembly elections for 243 assembly seats in Bihar are likely to be held at the end of 2025.