RLSP Chief Upendra Kushwaha resigns as Union Minister: Sources

Rashtriya Lok Samta Party (RLSP) Chief Upendra Kushwaha resigned as a Union Minister on Monday, sources said, amid speculations that the RLSP would split from the National Democratic Party.

Earlier in the day, Kushwaha said that he would not attend the meeting of the NDA allies, ahead of the winter session of the Parliament which will begin on December 11.

Kushwaha, in November, had said that he was upset over seat-sharing with BJP in Bihar for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections

Soon after BJP president Amit Shah announced that his party and Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal (United) would fight on an equal number of seats, Kushwaha demanded a larger seat share.

RSLP fought on three seats in 2014 even as Kushwaha demanded more seats for the next year's general elections citing that his party has grown in strength.

On November 17, he had asked the BJP to reach a consensus over a seat-sharing agreement.

A meeting between Tejashwi Yadav and Kushwaha had set political circles abuzz that RLSP and Yadav's RJD might side join hands for Lok Sabha elections. However, Kushwaha later clarified that no political meaning should be derived out of it.