Upendra Kushwaha steps up war on Nitish Kumar

New Delhi/Patna: Stepping up his campaign against Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar over his alleged “neech” remark, RLSP chief Upendra Kushwaha on Thursday sought to draw a parallel between his charge against the JD(U) chief and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s attack on Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in 2014.

The Union Minister, who has accused Nitish Kumar of referring to him as “neech” (lowly) — a charge rejected by Nitish Kumar-led JD(U) — took a dig at Bihar deputy chief minister and BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi over his defence of the chief minister over the issue.

In a series of tweets, the Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP) leader, who has been sulking over the Lok Sabha seat-sharing issue, asked if Prime Minister Narendra Modi was “wrong” in his attack on Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who is sister of Congress president Rahul Gandhi, over her “neech rajnitii” (lowly politics) jibe against the saffron party during the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

She had used the term “neech rajniti” to attack the BJP, and Mr Modi, then his party’s prime ministerial candidate, had invoked his backward caste origins to accuse her of targeting his background.

Mr Kushwaha has been targeting Nitish Kumar over his remark at a function that the level of discourse should not be lowered (itna neeche mat giraiye), after his reaction was sought on the RLSP’s “growing discomfort” within the NDA.

The RSLP leader’s fresh offensive came amid signs that he was drifting away from the BJP-led NDA due to his unhappiness over seat sharing arrangement in Bihar for the Lok Sabha polls.

Referring to the bitter political slugfest between Narendra Modi and Nitish Kumar over the Bihari “DNA issue” during the 2015 Assembly polls when the two leaders led rival camps, Mr Kushwaha added that Sushil Kumar Modi should have backed  Bihar chief minister even then and said that the Prime Minister was wrong.

Mr Modi, while attacking Nitish Kumar at a rally, had said there was “some problem with Nitish Kumar’s DNA”, while referring to the changes in his political allegiance.

Mr Kumar had built a campaign against the Prime Minister over his DNA barb at him, linking it with Bihari pride and had asked his partymen to collect samples of hair and nail to be sent to Delhi for DNA test.

After the RLSP leader last week accused Nitish Kumar of describing him as “neech”, Sushil Kumar Modi had tweeted on November 12 that the CM had never used such a word but some people are trying to become “martyrs”, an indirect reference to Mr Kushwaha’s alleged eagerness to quit the NDA and join the RJD-led Mahagathbandhan.

Mr Kushwaha, who is said to be upset over BJP president Amit Shah’s proposal that his party contest fewer number of seats in 2019 than it did in 2014, also said on Thursday that he will be discussing the seat-sharing issue with Mr Shah.

The RLSP had fought on three seats in 2014 and won all. The state sends 40 members to Lok Sabha.

“I am leaving Patna for Delhi. I will try to talk on the seat-sharing arrangement in a meeting with BJP president Amit Shah,” Mr Kushwaha tweeted.

With the BJP going all out to keep the Bihar chief minister in good humour, political observers believe it has not gone down well with Mr Kushwaha, who has long had a bitter relationship with him.

Mr Kushwaha had joined the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) ahead of the 2014 election. The JD(U) had walked out of the alliance in 2013 after 17 years. However, the JD(U) returned to the NDA in 2017 after quitting the grand alliance which it had formed with the Congress and the RJD.

Meanwhile, RLSP national general secretary and spokesman Madhaw Anand hit out at Nitish Kumar saying reports the Kushwaha-led party’s MP Ram Kumar Sharma being wooed by the JD(U) “confirm our charge that Nitish Kumar is involved in poaching “.

“We hear that a CCTV camera has been installed to keep a tab on the movements of RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav. The chief minister should install one inside his own residence which would expose his devious designs before all the people of Bihar,” Mr Anand said.

Earlier, RLSP MLA Sudhanshu Shekhar had met JD(U) national vice-president Prashant Kishor, triggering speculation of his joining the JD(U).