Interview/ Upendra Kushwaha, Rajya Sabha member and founder of Rashtriya Lok Morcha
Q. How many seats do you plan to contest?
A. The final decision will be taken after discussions within the NDA. It is premature to talk about that now. But we are preparing on all 243 seats.
Q. Do you believe there is space for a third front in Bihar, especially after your party’s trajectory and Prashant Kishor’s emergence?
A. There is no space for a third front. The contest is clearly between the NDA and the Mahagathbandhan.
Q. You have been part of both the NDA and the Mahagathbandhan. Where do you stand today, ideologically and electorally?
A. Both ideologically and electorally, we are with the NDA. The core issue for Bihar is development, and the NDA, especially the BJP at the Centre and in the state, has consistently delivered on that front.
Q. The BJP is focusing more on Nitish Kumar and has overlooked you several times. What makes you align with the NDA?
A. That doesn’t matter. Many parties are part of the NDA. We are with the NDA because the current situation demands it.
Q. What is the core of your ideology?
A. Our ideology is rooted in social justice and secularism―the legacy of Karpuri Thakur, Dr Ram Manohar Lohia and Babu Jagdeo Prasad. We aim to carry that forward.
Q. You recently raised concerns about the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise being carried out by the Election Commission. Do you think the exercise seems indifferent?
A. We do not object to the EC’s exercise; it is their duty. But doing it so late has raised questions. Many people from Bihar live outside and do not have the documents the EC is now asking for. Had the process started earlier, they would have managed [the documents]. Our concern is that no genuine voter should be left out, and fake voters must be removed.
Q. These are concerns raised by the opposition, too. Did the opposition reach out to you?
A. These are my observations, based on what I hear from the ground. If the opposition has a similar view, that doesn’t mean we are aligned. We are only representing public sentiment. It has nothing to do with any opposition outreach.
Q. How do you assess Nitish Kumar’s governance over the last decade, especially in terms of empowering the backward castes?
A. He has contributed significantly, be it reservations in local bodies, jobs for dalits and women, or initiatives for backward castes. His work is visible.
Q. How is your relationship with Nitish Kumar?
A. Personally, it has always been good. Politically, there have been ups and downs. But our old relationship continues.
Q. Do you think the BJP has co-opted the OBC discourse successfully? Or, are regional forces still the true voice of the backward castes?
A. Regional forces continue to have their own space, and the BJP has its own. Both exist and operate in different ways.
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- 'We are prepared to contest alone or even form a third front': Akhtarul Iman
- Can Prashant Kishor overcome Bihar's political caste loyalties?
Q. Do you regret the merger and later split with the JD(U)? What lessons did that experience offer you politically?
A. There is nothing much left to say about that now. It holds no meaning anymore.
Q. Do you think Bihar’s politics is ready to move beyond identity and towards governance-centric leadership? Or, is that still wishful thinking?
A. Governance matters and people are supporting the NDA largely because of its track record. Caste-based politics exists everywhere, not just in Bihar.