After much flip-flop, the Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP) on Sunday merged with Bihar ruling Janata Dal (United) and its chief and former Union Minister Upendra Kushwaha was appointed as president of the JD(U) parliamentary board.
“The decision to merge with the JD(U) was taken at the party’s two-day meeting here and the people of Bihar too wanted it. It will make Bihar stronger and we’ll work under leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar,” said Mr. Kushwaha before rushing to the State JD(U) headquarters for the ceremony.
Mr. Kumar and senior party leaders welcomed him into the party.
“We’ve worked together and will together again. We welcome all RLSP leaders into the party to make Bihar strong. Though, he [Mr. Kushwaha] told us that he doesn’t have any ambition we’ve decided to appoint him as president of the JD(U) parliamentary board from now,” said Mr. Kumar.
“We’re very happy with the merger,” he said.
Mr. Kumar also dwelt upon the prohibition policy and comments made on social media. “Use social media for positive things,” he urged.
“We all welcome you [Mr. Kushwaha] to the party which you nursed and expanded along with us,” said senior JD(U) leader and party MP Rajeev Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh.
A large number of RLSP and JD(U) workers were present.
On March 12, 35 RLSP leaders including its State president (in-charge) Virendra Kushwaha and workers had joined the principal Opposition party RJD.
“We’ve expelled our leader Upendra Kushwaha from the party and merged the RLSP with the RJD,” said Mr. Virendra Kushwaha.
“I am surprised over some reports in media about expulsion as a large number of RLSP leaders and workers are present here,” Mr. Kumar.
Asked about his previous comments that “when one has a friend like Nitish Kumar, he doesn’t need an enemy”, Mr. Kushwaha told media persons to “forget what was said in the past” and described Mr. Kumar as his “elder brother”.
The RLSP had failed to win even a single seat in the 2020 Assembly elections.
Mr. Kushwaha was associated with Mr. Kumar from 1994 to 2005. He parted ways in 2005 but joined him again in 2009. In 2013 he again snapped ties with the JD(U) and formed the RLSP. He later entered into an alliance with the NDA and became Union Minister in the first term of the NDA.
He quit the NDA and contested the 2020 Assembly elections in alliance with the AIMIM and other parties. Speculation was rife that he would join the JD(U) again.
