Upendra Kushwaha meets Bihar CM Nitish Kumar; sparks off speculation over joining NDA

Almost a month on from the Bihar election results, RLSP chief Upendra Kushwaha has met CM Nitish Kumar, sparking off speculation that he might join the NDA soon. Local media reports say that Nitish Kumar and Kushwaha had a closed-door meeting in which a deal could have been sealed. Quoting sources, reports said that Kushwaha might be a candidate in the MLC polls and Nitish Kumar might induct him in his cabinet. 

With BJP winning more seats than the JDU in this year's election, Nitish Kumar, despite being at the helm of affairs, cannot play the big-brother. With his trusted lieutenant and ex-Deputy CM Sushil Modi going for a Central role, and BJP placing Tarkishore Prasad and Renu Devi as second in command, Nitish is desperately looking for a loyal ally within the government. While VIP's Mukesh Sahni had joined NDA before the election, benefitting the alliance with the votes of his community, Kushwaha will be a boost to NDA, especially because the alliance is in need of a Dalit face after the demise of Ram Vilas Paswan.

READ | Mohan Bhagwat holds meeting with RSS functionaries of Bihar, Jharkhand

In assembly polls, AIMIM entered the fray after stitching together an alliance - 'Grand Democratic Secular Front - with Mayawati's BSP, Upendra Kushwaha-led RLSP, SJD(D) and Om Prakash Rajbhar-led SBSP. The alliance declared Upendra Kushwaha as their CM face. Kushwaha-led RLSP, which is eyeing to be relevant in the political picture of the state won one seat.

Upendra Kushwaha, once the closest side of Nitish Kumar, had entered electoral politics in 2000 by winning Jandaha seat. He was the leader of Opposition when Samata Party merged with the JD(U) and emerged as the largest opposition party in 2004. However, he was expelled from the party in 2007 and floated Rashtriya Samata Party in 2009. He again made a comeback to JDU and was made a Rajya Sabha MP. In 2013, he again left JDU and floated Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP).

READ |Tejashwi booked after holding demonstration for farmers; dares Nitish govt to arrest him

In the 2014 general elections, his RLSP won three seats that it contested as a part of NDA, and was made Union minister of state in the Human Resource Development Ministry. But in 2015 Assembly polls, RLSP won only two seats out of the 23 contested. In 2019 Lok Sabha polls, he joined hands with RJD and became a part of Mahagathbandhan but drew a blank. 

READ | HC grants custody parole to jailed former Bihar MP Shahabuddin to meet kin in Delhi

READ | Bihar DyCM slams Tejashwi's 'Maha jungle raj' jibe: 'Priority to maintain law & order'