New Delhi: After repeated instances of differences & dissidents in public, the Janata Dal (United) leader Upendra Kushwaha is all set to float a new political party in Patna today. An announcement to this effect is likely to made today afternoon.
The estranged leader has lately found himself increasingly ignored & sidelined in the party despite helming a senior position, Chairperson of the JD(U) Parliamentary Board.
Kushwaha is apparently miffed over lack of decision-making in his role as Board chief. Also, his hopes & ‘prospects’ of becoming Nitish Kumar’s successor appears dim & bleak after JD(U)’s alliance with Tejwashwi-led RJD.
Lately, Kushwaha has made loud & clear his dissent with party & today he is all set to ‘leave the past behind’ and lay foundation of a new party.
Kushwaha is a prominent OBC leader of the state and is currently holding last-minute talks with his supporters. His exit from the party was anticipated long ago but all eyes are on whether it would come at cost of any JD(U) legislator or some key party members.
The estranged leader hasn’t spoken much about his future prospects and also dismissed talks of ‘rebellion at the behest of BJP’, though it is expected to impact OBC votes in the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Kushwaha is expected to ally with BJP, in the run-up to Parliamentary elections slated for next year but all eyes are now on how much he will hurt the JD(U)-RJD alliance. The BJP is also curiously watching the events unfold as he remains a key OBC ‘vote catcher’ in light of the fact that saffron party has vowed to never alley with Nitish-led JD(U).
