Law Kumar Mishra
Patna, March 14
The “unconditional” merger of Rashtriya Lok Samta Party (RLSP) with Bihar’s ruling Janata Dal United (JDU) rewarded the former’s Chief Upendra Kushwaha with a key party position.
Though the development was a buzz in Bihar’s political circle for the last couple of days, the formalities were completed on Sunday with Upendra Kushwaha merged with the JDU. He would abide by the leadership of the Chief Minister, Nitish Kumar, Kushwaha said.
Though Kushwaha in his speech earlier claimed merger of RLSP with JDU was unconditional and in the interest of the state, he was immediately appointed chairman of the Central Parliamentary Board of the JDU. He reportedly got an assurance that his wife Ms Snehlata Sinha would be nominated as an MLC and would be appointed as a minister.
However, Kushwaha denied having received any commitment for his wife.
Kushwaha said he decided to join hands and accept the leadership of Nitish Kumar for strengthening the government. “We came together in the larger interests of Bihar,” he claimed.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who welcomed the return of Kushwaha in JDU said he was an old friend and his entry into the JDU would help strengthen the party.
Kushwaha was leader of opposition in 2004 and one of the founders of Samta party.
He had left Nitish Kumar thrice in the past- 2007, 2013 and 2017. In the last assembly elections, RLSP had contested 23 assembly seats in partnership with RJD but failed everywhere. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections too, his party performed very poorly and he had also lost the elections.
He had been critical of the working of Nitish Kumar for the last few years and had alleged the education system had collapsed under the JDU regime.
