Kushwaha move to cut ties with NDA might split RLSP

Party MLA says 2 MLAs, 2 MPs may cross over to JD- U

Speculation is rife that Mr Kushwaha may join hands with the Opposition, including RJD and Congress. The RJD sees him as a powerful Koeri leader.

Rumblings are likely in Upendra Kushwaha’s RLSP as two of his party’s MLA Lalan Paswan and Sudhanshu Shekhar may join Nitish Kumar camp.

The indication came on Monday immediately after Mr Kushwaha resigned from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Cabinet.

“Majority of us are in NDA and only a few who are with Upendra Kushwaha have decided to quit,” RLSP MLA Sudhanshu Shekhar told this newspaper.

There is a buzz that Mr Shekhar, Lalan Paswan and others, including two RLSP MPs, are likely to hold a meeting within a week to discuss future strategies. Sources said both the MLAs are likely to be inducted into the JD( U).

Sources also claimed that both the MLAs were given lucrative offers in November during their meeting with JD( U) vicepresident Prashant Kishor.

On Monday, Mr Kushwaha, while announcing his resignation in New Delhi, said that “efforts are being to destroy his party in Bihar before Lok Sabha elections”.

Speculation is rife that Mr Kushwaha may join hands with the Opposition, including RJD and Congress.

The RJD sees Mr Kushwaha as a powerful Koeri leader, the largest

OBC group after the Yadavs in Bihar. Koeris form around 10 per cent of voters in the state. RJD leaders feel that Mr Kushwaha’s entry in Mahagathbandhan may cause a massive damage to JD ( U)’ s vote bank in the state.

However, the theory was dismissed by leaders belonging to Mr Kushwaha’s opponent camp.

According to Mr Shekhar, “People especially the Kushwaha community will not fall into the trap of RJD and Congress in Bihar. Upendra Kushwaha will suffer a massive blow in the Lok Sabha elections. In 2014 he had won because RLSP contested Lok Sabha elections as part of NDA but this time people will not support him because he has decided to quit”.

The BJP also gave bitter reactions after Mr Kushwaha resigned from the Cabinet on Monday. BJP spokesperson Nikhil Anand said, “Anybody jumping off the train midway is a political suicide. Narendra Modi will return as a Prime Minister in 2019 even without the support of RLSP”.