Kushwaha meets Sharad,JD(U) accuses him of campaign against NDA govts

The BJP's alliance in Bihar appeared headed for trouble on Monday with RLSP president Upendra Kushwaha meeting with opposition leader Sharad Yadav and the JD(U) prodding the saffron party to "take notice" of his campaign against NDA governments at the Centre and in the state.

Kushwaha's meeting with Yadav fuelled speculation that he may switch camps before the Lok Sabha polls over the growing acrimony with Kumar and objections to the proposed seat-sharing arrangement among the BJP and its three allies in the state.

The Union minister described the meeting as a courtesy call.

Sources said the two leader discussed the current political situation, especially in Bihar.

 

Kushwaha later said in Patna that the JD(U)'s attempt to poach his party's MLAs may harm the NDA.

Yadav, who had snapped ties with Kumar after the JD(U) chief joined hands with the BJP last year, has been working to rally the opposition against the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) headed by the saffron party.

RLSP workers later protested against Kumar and burnt his effigy over his alleged humiliation of their leader.

An angry JD(U) hit back at Kushwaha with its spokesperson K C Tyagi accusing him of campaigning against the NDA governments at the Centre and in Bihar.

"They are meeting with leaders of 'mahagathbandhan' (grand alliance), those who are waging war against the Narendra Modi government," Tyagi told PTI and asked the the "NDA high command" to take notice.

Kushwaha had met with RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav in Bihar some time ago.

He has often asserted that he would work to get Modi elected as prime minister for another term but his unease with Kumar and meetings with opposition leaders have left everyone guessing about his plans.

Kushwaha has expressed reservations to BJP president Amit Shah's proposal that both his party and Ram Vilas Paswan-led LJP contest fewer number of seats in 2019 than they did in 2014 so that Kumar's JD(U) could be allotted as many seats as the saffron party fights.

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

An old rival of Kumar, Kushwaha had also attacked the chief minister for allegedly insulting him and had targeted him again Sunday over reports that two MLAs of his party may join the JD(U).

He had said he would apprise Shah of the "humiliation" he had suffered at the hands of Kumar and also request him to clear the confusion over seat-sharing among the BJP and its allies in the state at the earliest.

He also took a jibe at Kumar, saying the JD(U)president had an expertise in breaking parties but he would continue with his fight.

Kushwaha said in Patna that attempts by the ruling JD(U) to poach his MLAs could "harm the NDA" in Bihar and sought intervention of the BJP in the matter.

The BJP has so far refrained from offering any comment on the feud between its two parties but sources have said it is unlikely to antagonise Kumar as the party sees an alliance with him as key to the NDA's fortunes in the state.