The Narendra Modi government on Tuesday conferred Bharat Ratna on former Bihar chief minister "Jan Nayak (people’s leader)" Karpoori Thakur posthumously, which comes not only as the culmination of a long-pending demand but also as a move in the intensifying battle for the votes of extremely backward castes (EBCs) which constitute the biggest chunk of population in the state.

The country's highest civilian award for Thakur was announced by Rashtrapati Bhavan on the eve of his birth centenary and 35 years after his demise.

“The President has been pleased to award Bharat Ratna to Shri Karpoori Thakur (posthumously),” said the communiqué from President Droupadi Murmu’s press secretary Ajay Kumar Singh.

The JDU, the RJD and the BJP were all preparing to celebrate the former chief minister's birth anniversary with much pomp and show in Patna on Wednesday when the news of the honour came.

Born on January 24, 1924, in the underprivileged Nai (barber) caste — currently counted among the EBCs — in Samastipur district of Bihar, Thakur was influenced by nationalistic ideals during his formative years. He joined the All India Students Federation (AISF) and later quit college to join the Quit India Movement and had to spend 26 months in prison after being arrested.

He served twice as the chief minister of Bihar — once as a Socialist Party leader from December 22, 1970, to June 2, 1971, and again as Janata Party leader from June 24, 1977, to April 21, 1979.

Even after over three decades of his death, the EBCs consider him as their foremost leader. The recent caste-based survey said Bihar’s population has 36.02 per cent EBCs.