Kin receive awards conferred on PV Narasimha Rao and Chaudhary Charan Singh, agriculture scientist M S Swaminathan and former Bihar chief minister Karpoori Thakur

The statement came after Singh was asked about speculations of the RLD joining the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and switching over from the INDIA bloc after Bharat Ratna was announced for his grandfather.

While the notion behind honouring our statesmen by conferring Bharat Ratna is welcome. The personalities and timing chosen for the honour has created a room for speculation.

Starting his political career with the Indian National Congress in 1929, he became chief minister of Uttar Pradesh in 1967 and even the Union Home Minister. Uttar Pradesh has remained one of the most difficult as well as important states to rule, ever since Indian independence.