Bihar leader Upendra Kushwaha likely to join 'Mahagathbandhan' today

The former Union minister's joining the UPA will give a boost to the formation of a grand alliance in Bihar to counter the NDA combine of Bhartiya Janata Party-Janata Dal(U)-Lok Janshakti Party

Days after quitting the NDA, Upendra Kushwaha-led Rashtriya Lok Samta Party (RLSP) is all set to join the UPA fold on Thursday, a Congress leader said.

Kushwaha has already held talks with the Congress leadership and a formal announcement will be made at the party headquarters soon, he said.

The former Union minister's joining the UPA is likely to give a boost to the formation of a grand alliance in Bihar to counter the NDA combine of Bhartiya Janata Party-Janata Dal(U)-Lok Janshakti Party.

"Kushwaha has already held talks with top Congress leadership and his joining the UPA fold is only a formality now," a top Congress leader, who was part of the talks, told PTI.

The Congress, Rashtriya Janata Dal, Former Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi-led Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) are already part of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) and are seeking to give a fight to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

The saffron alliance had swept the Lok Sabha elections in 2014, winning 31 of the state's 40 seats.