RJD invites BJP ally RLSP to join Grand Alliance

The opposition Rashtriya Janta Dal in Bihar on Sunday invited BJP ally RLSP chief and Union Minister Upendra Kushwaha, who had skipped an NDA meeting here this week, to join the Grand Alliance in the state.

Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav also accused the BJP of joining hands with Nitish Kunar's Janata Dal-United to conspire to break the Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP).

Tejashwi Yadav said: "Upendra Kushwaha has been ignored and neglected in the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance. The BJP has been meting out to him stepmotherly treatment in the last four years. He should join the Grand Alliance in Bihar, which now comprises the RJD, Congress and Jitan Ram Majhi's Hindustan Awam Morcha," Tejashwi said.

Two days ago, Tejashwi had described Kushwaha as a leader with a bigger support base than Nitish Kumar.

Manjhi had invited Kushwaha on Friday to join the Grand Alliance, though the RLSP leader has remained silent on the offer.

Kushwaha had skipped the NDA meeting and then an 'Iftar' party of senior BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi here on Friday evening.

Ahead of the NDA meeting, RLSP leader Nagmani had said that Kushwaha should be the chief ministerial candidate of the NDA in the 2020 Assembly polls. Nagmani is a former Union Minister and considered close to Kushwaha.

--IANS

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