Bihar: Upendra Kushwaha Calls For Meeting Of JD(U) Leaders

The saga of Janata Dal-United (JDU) Parliamentary Board head Upendra Kushwaha’s tussle with party chief Nitish Kumar continues as Kushwaha calls for a two-day meeting of the National Parliamentary Board of his own accord.

In an open letter posted on Twitter on Sunday (5 February), Kushwaha said that the JD(U) is getting weaker due to internal reasons.

“I have been informing the honourable Chief Minister about the party’s situation ever since the results of the by-polls held after the formation of the grand alliance were announced. For the last two months, I have been trying to save the party from losing its identity. But the Chief Minister has not only ignored my warnings but has instead taken them out of context,” said Kushwaha in his letter.

“Further the “special deal” struck with RJD after the ‘merger’ of JD(U) with RJD has shocked the party’s honest workers and the supporters alike. This is creating a situation of political oblivion,” he went on to add in the letter.

Upendra Kushwaha is a Member of Legislative Council (MLC) and the National Parliamentary Board Chairman of the JD(U). He has been sulking ever since Nitish broke off with BJP to form an alliance with RJD, and wasn’t awarded a co-Deputy Chief Minister post as he hoped.

Speculations of him leaving the party to either join the BJP or revive his Rashtriya Lok Samata Party have been doing the rounds for the last two months.

“I want to save JD(U). This is the only motive and intention behind the open letter to party workers. Still, 15 days remain in between. I hope that good sense will prevail in the party,” Kushwaha told the ANI.

He further refuted the rumours of his joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).