Few NDA leaders don’t want Modi as PM in 2019: Upendra Kushwaha

Patna: Union minister Upendra Kushwaha on Thursday created a flutter in the political circles by saying that some political leaders in the NDA don’t want Prime Minister Narendra Modi to return to power in 2019.

There is a buzz in the political circle that Upendra Kushwaha who has been demanding to contest on more seats than Nitish Kumar’s JD (U) in the 2019 general elections and also want to be projected as CM face for 2020 Assembly elections was upset over the reported seat sharing formula which didn’t give enough weightage to his party Rashtriya Lok Samta Party (RLSP).  

On Thursday, reports suggested that the JD (U) which returned to NDA fold in July 2017 is likely to get 12 seats, the LJP five and RLSP only two seats. One seat from BJP quota is also likely to go to dissident RLSP leader Arun Kumar.

“There are few leaders in NDA who don’t want to see Narendra Modi as Prime Minister in 2019. They are the ones who are spreading rumours about our alliance,” Mr Kushwaha said on Friday in Patna.

Mr. Kushwaha also urged the Central leadership of the BJP to hold a meeting of allies and finalise the seat-sharing formula at the earliest so that parties could begin preparations for  2019 general elections.

“I saw reports regarding the seat-sharing formula but officially I am not aware of it. I, therefore, urge the BJP to hold a meeting of all allies to discuss the seat-sharing formula at the earliest,” said Mr Kushwaha.

He said that “only few NDA insiders are spreading misleading news like these to destabilise our agenda. We want Prime Minister Narendra Modi to return to power in 2019”.

He, however, refused to disclose names of political leaders who were spreading rumours. He said, “they will be exposed when the time comes”.

The reports of seat sharing formula surfaced only a day after he floated the “Kheer recipe” theory and hinted at the possibility of political ties with RJD- Congress-led Mahagathbandhan in Bihar.

The RLSP Chief, however, clarified that he was with NDA and that his “Kheer recipe” statement was misinterpreted by “few visionless political parties of Bihar”.

He said that his party would soon launch a program called “Paigham – e – Kheer” to propagate the idea of social justice and equality within the society.

“My party will prepare a delicious kheer by taking milk from Yaduvanshis, Rice from Kushwansis, sugar from Brahmarshis and dry fruits from EBCs.  We will ask Dalits to purify the kheer by providing basil and Muslims will provide dastarkhan for us eat the dish”, Mr. Kushwaha said.