RLSP chief Upendra Kushwaha
Union Minister and RLSP chief Upendra Kushwaha, who recently stirred the political cauldron by talking of the preparation of “kheer” with rice from Kushwanshis (Kushwahas) and milk from Yaduvanshis (Yadavs), is now in a spot as the BJP has not consulted him on seat-sharing for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. The BJP has reportedly set aside only two seats for the RLSP.
Among the NDA’s other constituents in Bihar, JD(U)’s president and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has said talks about seat-sharing had been held and LJP leader and Jamui MP Chirag Paswan has also confirmed that they had received a call from the BJP on seat-sharing.
Kushwaha’s kheer remark had drawn a warm response from RJD leader and Leader of Oppposition in Assembly Tejashwi Yadav. Sources said the RJD had offered four seats to RLSP if it left the NDA for the Grand Alliance.
A senior RJD leader said, “No formal talks have taken place, but Kushwaha can be accommodated as he would bring social variety to the Grand Alliance. Kushwaha can split the votes of Nitish Kumar.” The RJD leader, however, said Kushwaha had been “very ambitious without having proved himself on the ground”.
NDA sources said the BJP had kept 19 seats for itself, offered 14 to the JD (U), five to the LJP and kept two seats for the RLSP. These two seats are among the three won by the RLSP in 2014 — Karakat, Sitamarhi and Jehanabad. Jehanabad MP Arun Kumar has turned a rebel and BJP sources said he can be considered separately.
All eyes are now on the next move by Kushwaha, who has softened his stand on the NDA since the “kheer” remark. Asked by reporters last week about the RJD setting aside some seats for the RLSP, the Union minister had said, “Their seats will remain unoccupied.”
RLSP working president Nagmani said, “No seat-sharing talk has taken place and Nitish is causing confusion. The BJP should not fall in Nitish’s trap.” JD (U) spokesperson Neeraj Kumar responded, “No one can question the integrity of the Bihar CM. Nitish Kumar is a leader of unquestionable credibility. Whatever he says, he means.”
An RLSP source told The Indian Express, “There is no question of leaving the NDA. All speculation of the RLSP being in talks with the RJD are mere talks.” Asked what would be the party’s move if it was offered just two seats by the NDA, the source said Kushwaha alone can answer that.
A BJP leader said, “Kushwaha should remember that the RLSP won three seats in 2014 because of the Modi wave and could not prove its worth in the 2015 Assembly polls when it won only two seats. Kushwaha was important for us in 2014 because Nitish had left us. Now that Nitish is with us, Kushwaha cannot bargain as he and Nitish share the same support base.”