Upendra Kushwaha resigns from JD-U, announces new party

Patna, Feb 20 (IANS) Upendra Kushwaha, who has been skirmishing with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for some time now, on Monday announced his resignation from the primary membership of Bihar's Janata Dal-United (JD-U) and the setting up of a new party.

Addressing a press conference here, he said that the decision was taken after the two day meeting of his supporters in Sinha Library here.

Kushwaha also said that he will soon resign from the state Legislative Council too.

"I have requested the Chairman of Bihar Vidhan Parishad to give me the time so that I can hand over the resignation letter to him. As far as the primary membership of the party is concerned, I have informed the Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and national President Lalan Singh (that I am quitting)," Kushwaha said.

Kushwaha also announced the launch of a new political party, the Rashtriya Lok Janata Dal.

"When I merged my party RLSP (Rashtriya Lok Samta Party) in the JD-U, the initial period in the party was good. Nitish Kumar then announced to hand over his political legacy to (RJD leader) Tejashwi Yadav in 2025. I informed him that it would deeply hurt the JD-U. The party will be destroyed after Tejashwi Yadav becomes the Chief Minister of Bihar but he ignored my suggestion. I do not want the boat of JD-U to sink but Nitish Kumar has scuttled it," he said.

"The Samata Party and the JD-U emerged against the Jungle Raj of Lalu Prasad Yadav. Now, Nitish Kumar joined hands with him. The moves of Nitish Kumar will destroy his political legacy in Bihar. He is taking decisions only on the suggestions of two to four leaders who are surrounding him round the clock," he claimed.

On his relationship with the BJP, Kushwaha said that he has learnt from his "elder brother" (Nitish Kumar).

"He (Nitish Kumar) met with the party's alliance partners (BJP) in the evening. After one hour, he held a meeting with the RJD and formed the government the next day at 10 a.m.," Kushwaha said.

Kushwaha, for the last one month, has shown a rebellious attitude against Nitish Kumar. He had raised strong objections over the announcement of Nitish Kumar who said to hand over his political legacy to Tejashwi Yadav in 2025. Kushwaha claimed that the "Lav-Kush" equation of the JD-U will be badly hit after this decision as they are arch-rivals of Yadavs in Bihar.