Kushwaha joins UPA at Congress HQ, welcoming party is of ex-Congress rivals

RLSP chief Upendra Kushwaha thanks Congress president Rahul Gandhi and RJD chief Lalu Prasad for welcoming him to the UPA.

Rashtriya Loktantrik Samata Party (RLSP) Upendra joined the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) on Thursday after severing ties with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and resigning as a union minister.

Kushwaha was expected to join the UPA, but few had anticipated the leaders of Bihar’s grand alliance would make the announcement at the Congress party’s headquarters in Delhi. Those who welcomed Kushwaha to the UPA fold included such guiding lights of ‘anti-Congressism’ as Loktantrik Janata Dal president Sharad Yadav. Others present on the dais were Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav, Hindustani Awam Morcha chief Jitan Ram Manjhi, along with