Patna: In a surprising move, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday supported the demand of  Bharatiya Janata Party to confer Bharat Ratna award to former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee .

"He deserves it. Why should not it be given to him?" Kumar, who served as railway minister in the Vajpayee cabinet, said when asked if he supported Bharat Ratna for the former prime minister.

He also strongly supported the case for giving this highest award of the country to socialist ideologue and his political guru Rammanohar Lohia and another socialist leader and former Bihar Chief Minister Karpoori Thakur.

This is for the first time BJP and JD(U) expressed solidarity on any political issue since both former allies parted away in last June. The Janata Dal (United) dumped his 17 years old allay BJP in protest against the elevation of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.

For last few months the acrimonious exchange of words between two party leaders and mudslinging virtually turned former allay into bitter political foe.

NItish also kept himself away from his party MP Shivanand Tiwari’s  statement of questioning the government decision of bestowing Bharat Ratna award to cricketer Sachin Tendulkar ignoring the legendary hocky player Dhyan Chand. He also said that if these awards are given in a casual fashion then better is to stop giving this kind of awards.

“When concerned ministry short listed the name of Dhyan chand for giving Bharat Ratna then how Sachin was selected” asked Tiwary.

“Sachin Tendulkar was not playing free of cost. Sachin has made crores of rupees by helping corporates to market cricket in the country,” Tiwari added

But Nitish tried his best to distance from his party colleague statement he said to media in Patna ,” "It is Tiwari's personal view,"

The BJP on Sunday raised the issue of not considering former Prime Minister Vajpayee for the Bharat Ratna.

“The perspective of the Congress for Bharat Ratna doesn’t go beyond the dynasty,” said BJP deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha Ravishankar Prasad.

 Eminent Scientist C.N.R. Rao and cricketer Sachin Tendulkar were selected for highest civilian award of the country on Saturday.

Political observers feel that this move is politically targeted against congress , the party recently failed to give any indication to Nitish for coming closer.