New Delhi: Former Bihar Chief Minister Karpoori Thakur was awarded with Bharat Ratna, the nation’s highest honor, by President Droupadi Murmu this evening, 35 years after his passing on February 17, 1988.
Known as Jan Nayak by many in the state, Karpoori Thakur briefly served as Bihar’s Chief Minister, holding office from December 1970 to June 1971 and from December 1977 to April 1979.
The acknowledgment from the central government fulfills a longstanding request from Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his Janata Dal United.
This move is perceived as an effort to appease the Chief Minister of a state that holds 40 parliamentary seats, especially with the upcoming general election.