We're original RLSP, not faction led by Kushwaha, says MP Arun Kumar

Lok Sabha MP Arun Kumar, who was suspended from RLSP, led by Union Minister Upendra Kushwaha, on Tuesday claimed a majority of the party's office-bearers were with him and made a slew of appointments in the organisation while asserting that his faction represented the "real Rashtriya Lok Samta Party".

Making the announcement at a press conference in New Delhi, Kumar said he would stake his claim to the party's symbol -- ceiling fan -- as his faction represented the "real" Rashtriya Lok Samta Party.

He claimed to have support of Lalan Paswan, one of the party's two MLAs in the Bihar Assembly, and appointed him as its state unit president.

RLSP, a Bihar-based party, has three MPs in the Lower House and is a part of the ruling NDA.

Kumar said he would continue to be part of BJP-led NDA.

"We are the original RLSP, not the one which Kushwaha claims (to lead). Today we have also made several appointments of the party's office-bearers," Kumar said.

The RLSP, a majority of whose leaders had moved away from JD(U), contested the 2014 General Elections and 2015 Assembly polls in Bihar with the BJP.

Earlier, in August this year, Kushwaha had suspended Arun Kumar and Lalan Paswan from the party.