EC reprieve for Kushwaha, he will remain RLSP chief till LS polls conclude

In a reprieve to Upendra Kushwaha, the Election Commission Friday ruled that he will continue to be the president of RLSP and the symbol of 'Ceiling Fan' will continue to be reserved for the party till the conclusion of Lok Sabha elections.

The commission is hearing a dispute between two factions of RSLP over who is the leader of the party.

Lalan Paswan, who leads one the two factions, has told the poll panel that Kushwaha, without the consent of party members left the National Democratic Alliance, hence he was removed from the party.

In an interim order, the EC said, for the Lok Sabha elections, the faction led by Paswan will be granted interim recognition as a state party.

His faction has been asked to indicate the symbol of its choice (giving a choice of at least three symbols) from among the available free symbols which can be allotted to it.

The name it wants for the party should be intimated to EC immediately, the poll panel said.

Paswan is supporting NDA, while Kushwaha is part of the grand alliance in Bihar.

The commission will deliver its final order later.