Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP) chief Upendra Kushwaha who recently parted ways with the BJP-led NDA joined the Mahagathbandhan or grand alliance in Bihar on Thursday, joining hands with the Congress, Rashtriya Janata Dal and Hindustan Awam Morcha.
The announcement was made during a meeting at AICC office in Delhi where senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel, Rashtriya Janta Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav, Hindustani Awam Morcha leader Jitan Ram Manjhi, Loktantrik Janata Dal leader Sharad Yadav were present.
Kushwaha, who quit the NDA on December 10 over seat allocation for 2019 general elections, said, "We had said that we have many options and United Progressive Alliance (UPA) was one of them. The wholeheartedness shown by Rahul Gandhi and Lalu Prasad is one of the reasons I joined but the biggest reason." The RLSP chief further said that he was being insulted in NDA government.
Stepping up his attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Kushwaha said, "Narendra Modi while campaigning for Lok-Sabha elections 2014 promised that people of Bihar would not have to migrate for employment, education etc but youngsters are still migrating in large numbers, neither education is there nor the health facilities."
He asserted that the Mahagathbandhan is an alliance to save the institutions of the country like Central Bureau of Investigation, Enforcement Directorate or Reserve Bank of India.
Meanwhile, RJD leader Tejashwi accused the NDA government of adopting a dictatorial attitude towards its allies. "The fight is against those who have only betrayed the people of this country, mislead them and have benefited only a few people," Tejashwi said.
Congress leader Ahmed Patel welcomed Kushwaha in UPA and said, "There is a gathbandhan in Bihar, it's a matter of happiness that Upendra Kushwaha is joining the mahagathbandhan.
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