Kushwaha moots "kheer" recipe to reach out to RJD

Hinting at a political realignment with the RJD ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Union Minister Upendra Kushwaha said a delicious "kheer" can be prepared with milk from the Yadavs and rice from the Kushwahas.

The Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP) led by Kushwaha is an ally of the ruling NDA government in Bihar.

RJD leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, who has time and again extended invitation to Kushwaha to align with the RJD, grabbed the opportunity and said today that "kheer" prepared with love and affection is delicious, energetic and full of nutrition.

The Yadav community in Bihar is known for rearing cows while the Kushwahas are primarily agriculturists.

Kushwaha was addressing a function organised by his party yesterday to mark the 100th birth anniversary of late B P Mandal, a former chief minister of Bihar, at the S K Memorial hall here.

"Yaduvanshiyon ka dudh aur Kushwansiyon ka chawal mil jaye to kheer ban sakti hai (kheer can be prepared with the milk from the Yadavs and rice from the Kushwahas)," he said.

The minister also said," We will get the sugar from Brahmins, Tulsi from Choudharyji (RLSP Bihar chief Bhudev Choudhary), and can make delicious kheer with the dry-fruits from the backward classes and Dalits. Then we can relish the delicious kheer together," Kushwaha told the gathering on the occasion.

This is the definition of social justice that late Mandal dreamed of, he said.

Mandal had also headed the Backward Classes Commission that recommended 27 per cent quota for OBCs in jobs. The panel's recommendations were implemented by the then V P Singh government in 1990.

In a tweet, Tejashwi Yadav said, "Undoubtedly Upendra ji, delicious and nutritious kheer is necessary for working class. And health benefits of panchmewa not only provides energy to the body but also helpful in building healthy and equitable society."
On why Kushwaha made such a statement that was sure to embarrass the coalition, he said, "In a democratic set up, every party and its leader try to expand its social base by reaching out to different sections and communities and this effort is in that regard."