RLSP chief meets Sharad, sparks camp switch talks

New Delhi: The RLSP (Rashtriya Lok Samata Party) president and Union minister, Upendra Kushwaha, met Opposition leader Sharad Yadav on Monday, fuelling speculation that he may switch camps over his differences with chief minister Nitish Kumar and the proposed seat-sharing arrangement among the saffron party’s Bihar allies for the Lok Sabha polls.

He has been meeting opposition leaders in Bihar including Tejashwi Yadav, the political heir of Rashtriya Janata Dal  (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad.

Mr Kushwaha met Mr Yadav at the latter’s residence where both leaders are believed to have discussed the current political situation, especially in Bihar, sources in Mr Kushwaha’s party said. In a tweet, Mr Kushwaha described the meeting as a courtesy call.

Meanwhile, Ram Vilas Paswan met JD(U) vice-president and Nitish Kumar’s confidante, Prashant Kishor, in Patna.

Mr Kushwaha has sought more seats in 2019 Lok Sabha election than what it contested for in 2014. He has argued that RLSP has gathered more strength in Bihar since 2014, when it contested and won three Lok Sabha seats.

The demand assumes significance in the view of equal seat-sharing deal between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and JD(U). Speculation has been rife that BJP and JD(U) may contest on 17 seats, each leaving six to be shared between LJP and RLSP.

The RLSP, which had fought three seats in 2014 and won all, is unlikely to be spared more than two seats.

Mr Kushwaha has accused Mr Kumar of trying to poach RLSP MLAs. He said that he would apprise BJP chief Amit Shah of the “humiliation” he suffered at the hands of Mr Kumar and also request him to clear the confusion over seat-sharing among the BJP-led NDA constituents in the state at the earliest.

He also made a jibe at Mr Kumar, saying the JD(U) president had expertise in breaking parties. He, however, would continue with his fight, he said.