Rashtriya Lok Samta Party (RLSP) Chief Upendra Kushwaha’s decision to officially merge with Nitish Kumar’s Janta Dal (United) (JDU) in Bihar has not been received well by his party cadres, workers and leaders. It literally backfired, allowing as many as 35 leaders of his party, including its working president Virendra Kushwaha, to join the Rashtriya Janta Dal (RJD).
Though Luv-Kush (Koeri-Kurmi) form 13% of the state’s population, this is being seen as an occasion by Nitish Kumar to consolidate his base amongst this constituency after the BJPs meteoric rise in the state. Its leadership were extraordinarily able to train it’s resources after the party pushed it’s tally up from 53 to 74 in the Bihar assembly. Nitish Kumar politically lost the plot, coming down crushing from 71 to 43. As for a Chirag Paswan, he had nothing to fear but to checkmate Nitish Kumar’s JDU on a good number of seats.
Tejashwi was partially able to bank on Nitish’s anti-incumbency, successfully persuading and organising people’s ideas and opinions on a government scandalising a state like Bihar with misgovernance and corruption. However, the entry of actors like Owaisi, Chandrashekhar Azad and Mayawati in alliance with Pappu Yadav and Upendra Kushwaha contained Tejashwi’s chances of staking claim to power.
For an isolated and alienated Upendra Kushwaha, this was a battle for political survival, sustenance and security, asking him to explore alternatives and options. If he will succeed with Nitish Kumar is a billion-dollar question as both will compete for their respective space. This will benefit the BJP as they will engage themselves in exploiting the differences between both these socialist Satraps.
Tejashwi can only smile, hoping to make substantial inroads in the OBC and EBC vote bank, which has preferably stayed with Nitish for a while. Upendra Kushwaha may mock and ridicule Tejashwi for his political incapacities and inconsistencies but should remember that perfection and not perception has transformed Tejashwi into a leader who is at par excellence in addressing and articulating the queries and concerns of his electorate humbly and honestly.
I would be more interested in seeing how he agrees to bring Jitan Ram Manjhi and Mukesh Sahani on board the Grand Alliance.
Kya Bihar Mai Khelo Hobo?