Bihar ally Upendra Kushwaha quits as minister in Modi government

RLSP president Upendra Kushwaha resigned from the Union council of ministers and walked out of the BJP-led NDA. He was Minister of State for Human Resource Development.

Kushwaha, in his resignation letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said he was "dejected" and "betrayed" by the PM's leadership, according to party sources. He said he felt humiliated by the actions of the BJP which was more keen to cultivate his arch rival - Janata Dal (United) - rather than his own party and was substantially reducing his share of seats in the NDAs kitty for Bihar.

“The biggest humiliation was done by Shri Nitish Kumar in the presence of Shri Sushil Modi by using the word ‘Neech’ (lower class) for me. The way the BJP State unit supported Mr. Kumar on the statement has led to unhappiness among the masses,” he said.

Welcoming Kushwaha's resignation, Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Jay Prakash Narayan Yadav said he has taken the right decision which is in favour of democracy and now he should decide his future course of action to remove the BJP from power.

The RLSP may join hands with the opposition, which includes Lalu Prasad's RJD and the Congress.

BJP leaders were sanguine in the face of Mr. Kushwaha’s exit saying that while they did not want to remove him, his exit would not affect the party’s prospects in Bihar.