RLSP-JD(U) merger on cards as Bihar CM Nitish Kumar likely to attend occasion on March 14

Rashtriya Lok Samta Party (RLSP) is likely to merge with Janata Dal (United) in the state of Bihar on March 14 in Patna. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is expected to attend the occasion of the merger.

A senior RLSP leader was quoted by ANI saying, "RLSP has convened a two-day meeting at Patna on March 13-14 to seek approval from party workers on the merger with the JDU. The move comes after the debacle in the state Assembly elections 2020."

"RLSP's merger plan with JDU is almost finalized and is expected to be announced on March 14 in Patna. We hope that this merger will strengthen the JDU and will have a significant impact on the state's politics," a senior JDU leader said.

RLSP chief met CM Nitish last year 

In December last year, a month after the Bihar election results, RLSP chief Upendra Kushwaha had met CM Nitish Kumar, sparking off speculation that he might join the NDA. Local media reports said that Nitish Kumar and Kushwaha had a closed-door meeting in which a deal could have been sealed. Quoting sources, reports had said that Kushwaha might be a candidate in the MLC polls and Nitish Kumar might induct him into his cabinet. 

Upendra Kushwaha, once the closest side of Nitish Kumar, had entered electoral politics in 2000 by winning the Jandaha seat. He was the leader of the Opposition when Samata Party merged with the JD(U) and emerged as the largest opposition party in 2004. However, he was expelled from the party in 2007 and floated Rashtriya Samata Party in 2009. He again made a comeback to JDU and was made a Rajya Sabha MP. In 2013, he again left JDU and floated Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP). In the 2014 general elections, his RLSP won three seats that it contested as a part of NDA and was made Union minister of state in the Human Resource Development Ministry. But in the 2015 Assembly polls, RLSP won only two seats out of the 23 contested. In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, he joined hands with RJD and became a part of Mahagathbandhan but later left the alliance.