India, Jan. 11 -- Two days after JD(U) leader K C Tyagi urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to consider bestowing 'Bharat Ratna' on Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, the party on Saturday said the statements by its former MP were his personal views and "not in line with the party's ideology".

In a letter to the PM on Thursday, Tyagi said Kumar, who is a "precious gem" of the socialist movement, is worthy of the highest civilian honour.

Asked about Tyagi's letter, JD(U) national spokesperson Rajeev Ranjan Prasad said, "The former party MP has made several statements in the recent past which have not been in line with the party's ideology and not the official stand. All statements made by him shall be deemed to have been made in his perso...