RLSP chief and Union Minister Upendra Kushwaha
Final call on whether to continue with the NDA or walk out will be taken by December 6, BJP ally Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP) chief and Union Minister Upendra Kushwaha said on Saturday. His response came after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) gave an ultimatum to the RLSP to ensure by November 30, a "respectful" seat-sharing consensus in Bihar for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
"I will not take any decision alone. Decision will be taken after discussion with party leaders at the three-day RLSP's Chintan Shivir beginning on December 4 at Valmikinagar (in West Champaran district)," Kushwaha said while talking to reporters in Motihari.
"RLSP will announce a big decision that will affect state politics and will create possibility for political realignment," said a senior RLSP leader on condition of anonymity.
Minister of State for Human Resource Development Kushwaha was insulted and was ignored by the BJP repeatedly that has left him "very upset", party leaders said.
Kushwaha had also sought an appointment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in an effort to settle the issue of seat-sharing in the National Democratic Alliance in Bihar.
He, however was not given time despite camping in New Delhi for days.
Kushwaha's hopes were dashed with Modi leaving for Argentina for the G20 summit, without inviting him for any form of talks.
The RLSP has decided to reject the offer made by the BJP, Kushwaha had said in November.
He said that the party's state executive has rejected the BJP's offer. However, he refused to reveal the number of seats that it was offered.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal-United (JD-U) has been trying to split the RLSP and destroy him politically, he had alleged.
