RLSP 'ajooba' party whose legislators still with NDA: BJP mocks Kushwaha

The BJP Thursday mocked RSLP chief and former Union minister Upendra Kushwaha for joining the UPA, describing the party (RSLP) as "ajooba" (peculiar) whose chief has gone into the Opposition camp while all three legislators and an MP were still "firmly with the NDA".

The RLSP legislators in Bihar also affirmed that they were in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) camp.

"Both the MLAs and one MLC of the party (RLSP) have unanimously announced that we are with the NDA. We are with the coalition which RLSP has been a part of. Upendra Kushwaha has taken a decision at variance with the party's sentiments," party MLA Sudhanshu Shekhar told PTI over phone.

"In fact, Kushwaha has gone against the party line and we would soon approach the Election Commission with our claim that we are the real RLSP. We have the support of many party leaders, including an MP," he said while declining to divulge any names.

Speculations are rife that Shekhar, a first-term MLA who represents Harlakhi seat in Madhubani district, may get a ministerial berth in the state government headed by Nitish Kumar who was close to his deceased father Basant Kushwaha.

The Rashtriya Lok Samta Party (RLSP) has two members in the state legislature - Lalan Paswan and Sudhanshu Shekhar - besides MLC Sanjiv Singh Shyam, all of whom had last week pledged their support to the NDA.

Meanwhile, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi, who is at present on a tour of the US, took to