Is RLSP looking for some alibi to walk out of alliance?

New Delhi, Sep 25: Is Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP) chief and Union minister of state for Human Resource Development Upendra Kushwaha looking for some excuse to go out of the NDA alliance as he discretely indicated twice that some other options are available with the party.

Kushwaha has rejected Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) much discussed 20-20 seat sharing formula by saying that he never played cricket nor have any interest in the game. Earlier he dropped a bombshell by saying milk from Yadav and rice from Kushwaha make a good Kheer (pudding). So people started speculating his inclination with Lalu Yadav.

No formal announcement has yet been been made on NDA seat sharing but unofficial sources have been telling that NDA in Bihar will have a 20-20 seat sharing while several rounds of meetings have already taken place between Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar and Bharatiya Janata Party chief Amit Shah.

As per sources, Lok Janshakti Party chief may agree with six seats in view of Janata Dal (United) joining the alliance but the party was of the view that any party would like to contest elections where it has iota of possibility of winning seats.

As per the formula doing round, the BJP would contest 20 seats and the remaining 20 would be shared among NDA allies with JD (U) getting 12, LJP six and RLSP two seats. Here problem lies as RLSP is not contended with two seats as it is looking for some more. Moreover, RLSP leader Upendra Kushwaha is not comfortable with the Bihar chief minister so in case alliance decides two seats for him, he may take a different course.

All his statement and National working president of the party Nagmani are indicating his rural connect, which his party has been trying to leverage for a greater share in the NDA seat adjustment given that Kushwahas account from 8-10 per cent population of Bihar.

Even Nagmani had gone to the extent of saying a couple of days ago that efforts were being made at the behest of JD (U) to squeeze the RLSP out of the NDA and force it to cross over into the Grand Alliance in Bihar led by Rashtriya Janata Dal.

Political analyst are of the view that Kushwaha does not want to go out of the alliance to take the blame but he is obviously not happy with two seats and wait till the last moment. Actually the BJP is at the moment in talks with JD (U) only and an alternative plan is also discussed if RLSP walks out of the alliance while Kushwaha is looking for an excuse.