Rashtriya Lok Samta Party (RLSP) chief Upendra Kushwaha pulled out of the NDA on Monday and tore into Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led central government, saying "the promise of providing Bihar with a special package has been the biggest jumla". He also expressed deep disenchantment with the BJP and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, accusing them of trying to destroy his party.
"BJP continuously tried to harm our party. Nitish Kumar along with the BJP also tried to do the same. Both, Nitish and BJP insulted me and called me 'neech'," said Kushwaha while announcing his exit from the NDA.
Kushwaha, who also quit as the Minister of State for Human Resource Development, targeted the Prime Minister, saying: "Narendra Modi ji could not meet the expectations of the people of Bihar. Nothing was done for special status. Bihar is still where it was earlier. Education and health system is non-existent. Nothing was done for Bihar."
In his resignation letter, addressed to Prime Minister Modi, Kushwaha poured out his disillusionment with the central government. He said, "Having served in your Council of Ministers for the last 55 months, I stand dejected and betrayed by your leadership. There has been a fundamental conflict in what you have promised to the people before the election and what you have actually delivered after coming to the power."
He pointed out that "few issues, like caste census, has not been published. The policy of bifurcation of OBC category has not been submitted by the committee headed by Justice G. Rohini. It clearly indicates that the government is not serious, hence there is a fear and confusion amongst the OBC category."
Earlier in the day, Kushwaha said that he would not attend the meeting of the NDA allies, ahead of the winter session of the Parliament which will begin on December 11.
Kushwaha, in November, had said that he was upset over seat-sharing with BJP in Bihar for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
Soon after BJP president Amit Shah announced that his party and Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal (United) would fight on an equal number of seats, Kushwaha demanded a larger seat share.
RSLP fought on three seats in 2014 even as Kushwaha demanded more seats for the next year's general elections citing that his party has grown in strength.
On November 17, he had asked the BJP to reach a consensus over a seat-sharing agreement.
A meeting between Tejashwi Yadav and Kushwaha had set political circles abuzz that RLSP and Yadav's RJD might join hands for the Lok Sabha elections. However, Kushwaha later clarified that no political meaning should be derived out of it.
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