Political posters backing former Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar have emerged outside the Janata Dal-United (JD-U) office in Patna. The posters advocate for conferring the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honor, upon him. They also highlight Nitish Kumar’s son, Nishant Kumar, as a potential future leader of Bihar.
The posters commend Nitish Kumar’s nearly two decades of leadership in Bihar, portraying it as a significant period in the state’s political and developmental journey. One slogan on the posters reads, “Nitish, the servant, seeks… the Bharat Ratna honor.” Another message states, “Nitish Ji’s mission is incomplete… only Nishant Kumar will complete it.”
The mention of Nishant Kumar has sparked political discussions as he has not been actively involved in electoral politics. The demand to award Nitish Kumar the Bharat Ratna has been reiterated multiple times in recent years. In January 2026, senior JD-U leader K.C. Tyagi urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to confer the Bharat Ratna on Nitish Kumar, citing his contributions to governance and public life.
The proposal has garnered support from Union Minister Giriraj Singh, who in December 2024, praised Nitish Kumar’s contributions to Bihar’s development. The latest posters have reignited the debate, although there has been no official response from the JD-U, the Bihar government, or the Union government regarding the demand or the references to Nishant Kumar in the campaign.
