Alliance of hearts: Tejashwi Yadav on Upendra Kushwaha joining anti-BJP front in Bihar

The former minister in Narendra Modi cabinet and chief of Rashtriya Lok Samta Party (RLSP), Upendra Kushwaha, on Thursday joined the Grand Alliance in Bihar for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Last week, Kushwaha had quit as the Union minister and pulled out from the BJP-led alliance, citing “arrogance” at the hands of the saffron party. This was announced in a joint press conference of the alliance partners at the Congress headquarter in Delhi. "There is a gathbandhan (alliance) in Bihar, it's a matter of happiness that Upendra Kushwaha is joining the ‘mahagathbandhan’ (grand alliance), senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel told reporters.

Addressing the joint press conference, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav said that the RLSP chief joining the anti-BJP front in Bihar was an “alliance of hearts”. Earlier, leaders of Mahagathbandhan, including Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) leader Jitan Ram Manjhi and Congress leader Shaktisinh Gohil, RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav, JDU rebel Sharad Yadav and RLSP leader Upendra Kushwaha held a meeting at AICC office in Delhi to discuss the terms of the alliance.

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After joining the Grand Alliance, Kushwaha said the biggest reason for joining the anti-BJP front was people of Bihar. He also mentioned “wholeheartedness” shown by Rahul Gandhi and Lalu Yadav one of the reasons for joining the alliance.

“We had said that we have many options and UPA was one of them. The wholeheartedness shown by Rahul Gandhi and Lalu Yadav is one of the reasons I joined but the biggest reason I'm here is the people of Bihar,” Kushwaha said during the press conference.

On December 10, Kushwaha had quit as a Union minister and pulled out his support from the BJP-led led alliance, accusing PM Modi of reducing the cabinet to a "rubber stamp". Kushwaha also warned smaller NDA allies that they will also face the same arrogance as he did.

Also Read | Leave NDA or face same arrogance: RLSP leader Upendra Kushwaha's warning to BJP allies before 2019 elections

Below is the possible seat sharing scenario in Bihar

Congress: 8-12 seats

RJD: 18-20 seats

RLSP: 4-5 seats

CPM, CPI, CPI(ML): 1 seat

Jitan Ram Manjhi’s HAM-S: 1-2 seats