RLSP may split as MLAs meet JD-U V-P Prashant Kishor

Patna: Rumblings are likely in Upendra Kushwaha’s RLSP as two of his party’s MLA Lalan Paswan and Sudhanshu Shekhar met JD (U) vice-president Prashant Kishor in Patna on Sunday.

Reports suggest that both the MLAs are likely to be inducted into the JD (U). Sources said both the leaders have been in touch with Mr Kishor and the meeting took place immediately after Upendra Kushwaha left for New Delhi to discuss seat sharing issues with BJP leaders.

RLSP has only two MLAs in the 243 member Bihar assembly.  On Sunday Mr Kushwaha in a tweet said that “Nitish Kumar has mastered the art of splitting political parties but this time he will not succeed as people of the state are watching everything. Despite all your efforts to break us our fight for the rights of backwards, Dalits and poor among the upper caste will continue”.

In another tweet, he said that “damaging political parties is also immoral like taking or giving dowry”.

The development comes a day after supporters of Upendra Kushwaha took out a procession in protest against Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s alleged remark calling him “speech” last week.

Before leaving for New Delhi on Sunday RLSP Chief Upendra Kushwaha said that he will be meeting BJP President Amit Shah to discuss seat sharing issues and also apprise him about how he was being humiliated by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.  

Mr Kushwaha who is also a union minister has been upset at being offered less number of seats for the 2019 general elections.

In a statement recently Upendra Kushwaha said that he has already conveyed his demands for “more than three seats” and expects a final meeting with BJP top leaders to discuss the issue.  

He had also met LJP President Ram Vilas Paswan in Patna earlier on Sunday to discuss seat sharing issues.

Reports suggest that both RLSP and LJP have been unhappy at the way BJP ignored other smaller NDA allies and gave more importance to chief minister Nitish Kumar on the issue of seat sharing.

Last week Upendra Kushwaha had created a flutter in Bihar politics by raking up Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s DNA jibe to attack Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.