After making surprise appearance at BJP meet, RLSP MLA evades

Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP) MLA Sudhanshu Shekhar, who had caused a flutter by attending the BJPs legislature party meeting with another party legislator here the previous night, on Tuesday evaded questions about his future political move.

The party, which is headed by its founder Union minister Upendra Kushwaha, has two MLAs in the 243-strong assembly. Kushwaha has set a November 30 deadline for arriving at a seat-sharing arrangement among NDA constituents in Bihar and threatened to review his continuance in the BJP-led coalition if the formula was not respectable for the RLSP.

Both Shekhar and the other RLSP MLA Lalan Paswan had attended the BJP legislature party meeting held on Monday night at Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modis residence to discuss the partys strategy during the ongoing winter session of the assembly.

However, when asked about the development outside the assembly premises, Shekhar said there was nothing odd. RLSP is in the NDA and the BJP is our alliance partner. Differences within the coalition are like a family dispute. These will be settled.

Asked about Kushwahas relentless attacks on Chief Minister Nitish Kumar whom he has been accusing of calling him neech (lowly), Shekhar replied cryptically cannot comment on the stand taken by my party president but the video footage is in public domain and the Chief Minister never uttered the word.

Notably, Shekhar a first-time MLA who won the Harlakhi seat in a by-election necessitated by his fathers death had recently met Kumar at the Chief Ministers residence drawing a sharp reaction from Kushwaha, who charged the JD(U) chief with poaching on legislators belonging to other parties.

Meanwhile, reacting to Monday nights development, RLSP national general secretary and spokesman Madhaw Anand said this shows that Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi is hand in gloves with Nitish Kumar. This is a point Kushwaha has been making for some time.

It was a meeting of only the BJP and not the entire NDA. Then why were MLAs of only one alliance partner called to attend the meeting. After all, the two did not go there uninvited. The sinister designs of Nitish and Sushil stand exposed, Anand alleged.

He also added we do not make much of Lalan Paswan. He was suspended from the RLSP two years ago and has ceased to be a party man for all practical purposes. Shekhars presence there was indeed unfortunate.