Partnership should be equal in profit and loss

Keeping the Bihar pot boiling, Union minister and RLSP chief Upendra Kushwaha on Tuesday questioned BJP president Amit Shah’s call asking allies to “sacrifice” their number of Lok Sabha seats to accommodate new members but at the same time not sharing ministerial berths with them in the state government.

“We understand sacrificing to accommodate new allies, but why weren’t the spoils of power shared with all. Partnership should be equal in profit as well as loss,” Mr Kushwaha said at a press conference here.

However, the RLSP chief was quick to add that he had met BJP Bihar incharge Bhupendra Yadav on Tuesday morning and talks on seat- sharing were still on and would continu e . “If need be, I will meet Mr Shah and even the Prime Minister himself,” he said adding he wanted a “respectable” number of seats to fight in the state. Mr Kushwaha’s meeting with RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav last week had sparked speculation over his future course of action.

Top sources this newspaper that Mr Kushwaha, who has been dallying with the RJD- Congress Alliance in Bihar for some time now, has demanded five seats for his party from Mr Yadav and talks are stuck on that.

From the NDA camp he has asked for three seats but the BJP- JD( U) is willing to give only two.

Mr Kushwaha also announced the names of his party’s candidates for 66 seats in the Madhya Pradesh assembly polls and said more will follow ahead. told