Patna: The old phrase “Politics is always a game of possibilities” suits chief minister Nitish Kumar in terms of giving space to the turncoats and betrayers. The track record of Nitish at least proves this point that several leaders who once betrayed him and criticised left and right have now become his friends and well-wishers.
Be it former CM Jitan Ram Manjhi or his former cabinet colleague Narendra Singh whose son is now a cabinet minister in Nitish's government were once Nitish Kumar's biggest enemy. The new man who has found space in Nitish's heart is RLSP supremo Upendra Kushwaha.
When Nitish had made Manjhi the CM of Bihar, he had earned a lot of applause for his masterstroke after anointing a mahadalit head of state. However, after eight months Manjhi was sacked and once again Nitish had become CM.
Something similar Narendra Singh did with Nitish and had levelled serious charges against him now his son Sumit is science and technology department minister.
Similarly, there was a time when Kushwaha used to attack Nitish on several fronts. Be it law and order or education system in Bihar, the former union minister used to criticise Nitish time and again. However, in the changed scenario, Nitish has now opened his door for Kushwaha. There is talk going on in the corridor of Bihar politics that soon RLSP will merge with JDU later this month.
It is a fact that Kushwaha had met Nitish several times and many rounds of talks have taken place between the two leaders who were once used to be known as Luv-Kush.
The OBC Kurmi community and the OBC Koeri together are referred as Luv-Kush in Bihar. Both communities constitute around 8 to 10 percent of the state's total population.
With little option left with Kushwaha after the debacle in the Bihar assembly poll, the former member of both upper and lower house is set to abide by the condition put forth by Nitish to whom he considered his elder brother.
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Sources in the RLSP said that Kushwaha was looking for the key post in the cabinet but with the induction of Samrat Choudhary who hails from the same community his chances got shattered.
Now, Kushwaha has agreed to accept the key post in the organisation may be the national vice president of JDU, the post is falling vacant after the exit of poll strategist Prashant Kishor from the party.
The last time when Kushwaha had met Nitish, he had issued a statement in which he had emphasised that there was no plan of reunion with Nitish but one never knows what happens tomorrow. The RLSP insiders hinted that it is almost certain that Kushwaha will merge his party but did not disclose what Kushwaha will get in quid-pro-quo which is eagerly waiting for.
Kushwaha's party RLS had contested 103 seats under the banner of six parties in the name of the United Democratic Secular Alliance. However, only Asaduddin Owaisi AIMIM managed to win five seats and all the candidates of Kushwaha faced defeat.
Asked about the merger of the party, RLSP state working president Santosh Kushwaha said, “It's correct that talks are going on but so far it's not confirmed whether merger will take place or not. Until the official statement issued once should refrain from such talks. Both leaders belong from the same school of thought and one cannot deny that if both leaders will join the hands together, they will become stronger.”
He further said, “Earlier the combination of Luv-Kush was stronger however when both leaders got separated the unity became weak. It was because of this Nitish came down to 43 seats in the assembly poll. If both leaders will come under one umbrella, once again Luv-Kush will become stronger as Nitish Ji and Upendra ji. Upendra ji is not dying for any post he just wants to strengthen socialism".
On 1st January 2013, he had resigned from JDU and formed his own political outfit Rashtriya Lok Samta Party followed by contesting the Lok Sabha poll on three seats winning all in the 2014 general election. He also became part of the Narendra Modi cabinet for the first time. However, with the return of JDU in NDA fold in 2017 the several equations changed.
Once again Upendra broke the alliance and joined Mahagathbandhan before the 2019 Lok Sabha poll but lost the two seats where he contested Ujiyarpur and Karakat. Weeks before the 2020 assembly poll in Bihar, he walked out of Mahagathbandhan after refusing to accept Tejashwi Prasad Yadav as a leader.
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Asked about the present political scenario with special reference to Upendra Kushwaha, political expert Sanjay Kumar said, “Whenever power suppresses the organisation such kind of scenario emerges in the politics. Be it Jitan Ram Manjhi or Upendra Kushwaha they do caste-based politics. Their entire struggle is based on a particular caste and from this front, they run the party. Upendra Kushwaha has realised that in the near future he is not going to attain power. So by merging with Nitish, he can do two things together first he can become a part of the power and second a message to make the Luv-Kush combination stronger."
He also further said, "Even Nitish Kumar knew this very well that his face got the acceptability in Kushwaha community so there is no harm in merging his party in JDU. Whenever a political party is formed on the basis of caste, it cannot survive for a long time and die midway. So the merger of RLSP is the reflation of caste-based politics."
