The posthumous award for M. G. Ramachandran ( 1988 ) was considered to have been aimed at placating the voters for the upcoming assembly election and posthumous awards of Madan Mohan Malaviya ( 2015 ) and Vallabhbhai Patel ( 1991 ) drew criticism for they died before the award was instituted.
Madan Mohan Malaviya and Vallabhbhai Patel received a Bharat Ratna award after they died .