Patna (Bihar): Janata Dal-United (JD-U) leader Upendra Kushwaha attacked Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for not paying 'attention' towards protecting the party. Talking to ANI, the JDU leader said, "I have been working to protect the JD(U) for so long, but CM Nitish Kumar is not paying much attention to this and that is why I have called a meeting of party workers so that we can find a solution to save this party." He also questioned CM Nitish Kumar for not answering on the alleged "deal" with Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD).
"Why are Nitish Kumar and the people around him not answering whether any 'deal' has been done between JDU and RJD or not? Either Nitish Ji doesn't want to answer the question or something else has happened," he said. The JDU leader further refuted the 'rumours' of his joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
"Those who're spreading rumours of me joining the BJP are those who don't have answers to my questions. Why should I join BJP? I would rather prefer dying. I am just trying to protect JD(U)," he further said. Kushwaha, who had merged his Rashtriya Lok Samata Party with the JD(U) less than two years ago, had earlier accused the RJD of having strayed from the socialist ideal of decentralization of power and "concentrating all authority within a family". "Now, time has come to discuss the special deal struck with ally RJD at the time the grand alliance government was formed in August last year," he said.
"There are serious issues to discuss... The party has become weak. You are invited to discuss and chalk out a strategy to save the party," he maintained in his letter. Earlier, too, the JD(U) leader had alleged that RJD leaders were openly seeking Kumar's exit as the CM for Tejashwi Yadav to take over, "as per the deal". Notably, speculations about Kumar having agreed to make way for Yadav have gained ground after the CM himself dropped ample hints that he was ready to pass on the mantle to his deputy, the younger son of Lalu Prasad. "I request the chief minister, our supreme leader, and national president Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan to come out with the truth behind these rumours," Kushwaha had said. (With Agency Inputs)
