‘What is the problem?’: Tej Pratap renews Bharat Ratna push for Lalu; will invite CM Nitish for ‘choora-dahi bhoj’

NEW DELHI: Janshakti Janta Dal chief Tej Pratap Yadav on Sunday reiterated his demand for conferring the Bharat Ratna on former Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, saying he would formally write to the Government of India to press the demand.“He should indeed be given Bharat Ratna. What is the problem? I will also write a letter to the Govt of India, on behalf of JJD, for the Bharat Ratna,” Tej Pratap Yadav said while speaking to reporters.His remarks came a day after he backed a social media post by his sister Rohini Acharya, saying her comments were accurate. “What she has tweeted is correct. I support her tweet...Everyone knows who she is talking about. I need not say it aloud,” he said, without elaborating further.Responding to questions on whether Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar would be invited to his traditional ‘choora-dahi bhoj’, Tej Pratap Yadav said he planned to invite everyone. “I will go everywhere. Why are you restless? I will invite you as well. I am inviting everyone,” he said. He also commented on the Somnath Swabhiman Parv, welcoming the reconstruction of the temple. “It is good that the temple has been reconstructed. I am also going to construct a Shiv temple very soon,” he said.The renewed demand for Bharat Ratna for Lalu Prasad Yadav comes amid recent political chatter around the country’s highest civilian honour, following awards conferred in 2024 on former prime ministers P V Narasimha Rao and Chaudhary Charan Singh, agriculture scientist M S Swaminathan, and former Bihar chief minister Karpoori Thakur.