Bihar realignment? BJP's ally hints at pact with RJD

PATNA: Union minister and Rashtriya Lok Samta Party (RLSP) leader Upendra Kushwaha on Saturday dropped a broad hint about political realignment in Bihar before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections saying a good 'kheer' can be made "with the milk from Yadavs and rice from Kushwahas".

While Yadavs who are traditionally known as cattle-rearers are the mainstay of RJD, the agriculturist community of Kushwahas, which also falls in the OBC category, are the bulwark of RLSP. The Union minister reportedly unhappy in the NDA for quite some time and his latest remark only underlines his growing proximity with RJD.

Kushwaha rooted for an alliance between Yadavs and members of his community at an event organised by his party to mark the birth centenary of B P Mandal, who had headed the Mandal Commission that recommended 27% quota in jobs for backward castes.

Advocating for a rainbow coalition of OBCs, MBCs and Dalits, Kushwaha said: "Yahan bahut badi sankhya mein Yaduvanshi samaj ke log jutey hain. Yaduvanshion ka dudh aur Kushwanshiyon ka chawal mil jaye to kheer banne me der nahin … lekin kheer banane ke liye kewal dudh aur chawal hi nahin, chhoti jaati aur dabey-kuchle samaj ka panchmeva bhi chahiye (A lot of Yadavs have come for the event. Milk from Yadavs and rice from Kushwahas can together make kheer. But the dish also needs 'dry fruits' in the form of support from MBCs and Dalits)."

Though Kushwaha is in NDA, he is highly critical of JD(U). Taking advantage of Kushwaha's unhappiness, RJD's Tejashwi Prasad Yadav has urged him to join the Grand Alliance in Bihar.

Attacking Kushwaha, a senior JD(U) functionary said on condition of anonymity: "Kushwaha knows he cannot match the stature of Nitish, hence he is jealous of him. He keeps making such statements to hog the limelight."