Everything fine, says Upendra Kushwaha amid NDA seat-sharing row

New Delhi, Oct 15 (IANS) Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) chief Upendra Kushwaha on Wednesday sought to quell speculation over dissatisfaction within the NDA after his party was allotted only six seats in the alliance's seat-sharing arrangement for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections.

“I am going to Delhi to discuss the remaining issues related to whatever the NDA has decided,” Kushwaha said before his departure, indicating that talks are still underway.

Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai also echoed a conciliatory tone, saying, “Upendra Kushwaha said that everything is fine and everything will be alright,” in response to questions about possible friction within the alliance.

Kushwaha’s remarks come a day after he issued an emotional appeal to his supporters following the announcement of the NDA’s seat-sharing formula. The RLM chief, who was reportedly under pressure from within his party ranks over the limited number of seats, took to social media on Sunday to offer an apology to disappointed party workers.

“I seek your forgiveness. The number of seats could not be as per your expectations. I understand that this decision will hurt the hearts of thousands—millions—of people, including those colleagues who aspired to be candidates of our party,” Kushwaha wrote on X.

He went on to acknowledge the deep disappointment felt by his supporters: “Today, in many homes, food might not have been cooked. However, I am sure you all understand the constraints and limitations of both me and the party.”

“Behind every decision, there are some circumstances that are visible from the outside, but there are also some that are not visible from the outside. I humbly request you to let the anger subside, and then you will yourself realize how appropriate or inappropriate the decision is. Time will tell the rest,” he added.

The NDA seat-sharing pact, announced on Sunday, allots 101 seats each to the BJP and JD(U), 29 to Chirag Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), and six each to Upendra Kushwaha’s RLM and Jitan Ram Manjhi’s Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM).

The opposition, meanwhile, has seized on the discontent, claiming that "everything is not fine" within the NDA.

--IANS

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