Bharat Ratna for farm icon, two former PMs

Former prime ministers PV Narasimha Rao, Chaudhary Charan Singh, and scientist MS Swaminathan, will be posthumously conferred India's highest civilian honour, Bharat Ratna, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Friday.

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It was in Rao's term that India opened up its economy; Singh was an iconic farm and socialist leader; and Swaminathan was the man behind India's Green Revolution which made the country self-sufficient in grains.

The award and its timing, months ahead of general elections, bears political significance: honouring Rao exploits the fault-lines that existed between him and the Gandhi family leadership of the Congress party after 1991; and awarding Singh helps the Bharatiya Janata Party edge closer to his son and Rashtriya Lok Dal's Jayant Chaudhary, who commands support in Uttar Pradesh. Indeed, there are reports that the two parties have already arrived at an understanding that will be announced soon.

With the three names announced on Friday, the government has now announced five Bharat Ratnas in a single year the other two include BJP leader and former deputy prime minister Lal Krishna Advani, and two-time Bihar chief minister Karpoori Thakur - which is almost a tenth of the 53 announced since the award's inception. In a series of posts, Modi called it his government's good fortune that Singh is being honoured with the Bharat Ratna.

"This honour is dedicated to his incomparable contribution to the country. He dedicated his life to the rights and welfare of farmers." Modi cited Singh's role in nation-building as the Uttar Pradesh chief minister, the country's home minister, and as a lawmaker. "He also stood firm against the Emergency. His dedication to farmers and his commitment to democracy during the Emergency is inspiring."

Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief and Singh's grandson, Jayant Chaudhary, responded to Modi's post on X announcing the award, saying it has "won hearts". The response came amid speculation that the RLD could join the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance.