Patna: BJP ally and central minister Upendra Kushwaha, who heads the Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP), met ailing RJD chief Lalu Prasad at AIIMS-Delhi on Thursday night and then put up a picture on his Twitter handle, setting tongues wagging on a possible political realignment with just about a year left for the Lok Sabha elections.
It was the first time since Lalu was convicted in fodder scam cases that the two have met. A few days before his first conviction in December last year, Lalu had given Kushwaha an open invitation to cross over from the NDA.
Over the past few months, RJD leaders have been making noises about the RLSP ready to cross over, but Kushwaha has repeatedly rebutted the claims. On Friday as well, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav issued a fresh invitation to Kushwaha to switch sides.
On paper, Thursday evening's visit by Kushwaha to Room 101 at AIIMS, barely a few hours after Lalu was admitted, appeared to be a courtesy call by one politician on another who is unwell.
Kushwaha himself said as much when asked about his meeting, which lasted nearly an hour.
Speaking to The Telegraph over phone from Ranchi, Kushwaha said: "The media is free to make any stories out of the meeting but I had solely gone to meet Laluji to enquire about his health. I came to know that his health was deteriorating so I thought of meeting him. It was a courtesy visit."
Kushwaha further said that he is with the NDA and will remain in the NDA.
But in the same breath, the RLSP chief added that nobody could stop him from meeting anyone - a veiled message to the BJP leadership.
Sources in the RJD said there was more to the meeting than what meets the eye. "Talks with Kushwaha are in the final stages and once the seat-sharing for the Lok Sabha polls materialise, the alliance will take shape," said an RJD leader who didn't wish to be named.
RLSP leaders said the RJD was a better option than being with the NDA. Speaking on the condition of anonymity, a senior RLSP leader, who looks after the organisation, said: "In 2014, we got three seats as an NDA partner and we won all three. But now with Nitish Kumar joining the NDA camp, the BJP leadership will have to accommodate him, which means we have less bargaining power."
The RLSP source said the party has several senior leaders who are hoping for a Lok Sabha ticket, including two former union ministers - Dasai Choudhary and Nagmani. Apart from them, former MP Lovely Anand is also set to join the party with an eye on a Lok Sabha nod.
"They will have some expectation. Being in the NDA we cannot live up to their expectation because we need more seats. Going with the RJD is a better option because they will give us more seats," the RLSP leader said.
An alliance with the RLSP is also beneficial for Lalu because Kushwahas are considered the largest caste grouping within the OBCs after Yadavs.
