Bharat Ratna for Charan Singh
Former Prime Minister Chaudhary Charan Singh has been posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honor, announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on social media. Modi praised Singh’s unwavering dedication to the welfare of farmers throughout his political career, highlighting his leadership roles in Uttar Pradesh and at the national level. The award coincides with reports of a potential political alliance between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), founded by Singh’s son and currently led by his grandson, Jayant Chaudhary.
Jayant Chaudhary expressed gratitude
Following Modi’s announcement, Jayant Chaudhary expressed gratitude on social media, indicating a positive response to the recognition. The reported seat-sharing agreement between the BJP and RLD includes the allocation of parliamentary seats in Uttar Pradesh, where RLD enjoys significant support among Jats and farmers. The arrangement involves the BJP offering two Lok Sabha seats and one Rajya Sabha seat to the RLD in exchange for support. Notably, awarding the Bharat Ratna to Chaudhary Charan Singh was reportedly a crucial demand from the RLD during negotiations.
दिल जीत लिया! #BharatRatna https://t.co/Ns0CraJ7yI
— Jayant Singh (@jayantrld) February 9, 2024
Sources suggest that under the agreement, the RLD is likely to receive parliamentary seats such as Baghpat and Bijnor, with speculations of Jayant Chaudhary’s wife being nominated as a Rajya Sabha candidate. Additionally, there have been discussions regarding potential ministerial positions for RLD members. While the BJP has proposed two cabinet positions in the Uttar Pradesh government led by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the RLD has also expressed interest in securing a cabinet seat at the central level under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership.
