Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) president and Rajya Sabha MP Upendra Kushwaha is one of the key partners of the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Bihar and a key leader of the Kushwahas, a major OBC community. In an interview ahead of the State’s Assembly election, Mr. Kushwaha told The Hindu that Nitish Kumar will continue as Bihar Chief Minister if the NDA is voted to power but refused to speculate on seat-sharing arrangements within the NDA.
How do you see the Voter Adhikar Yatra led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi?
That Yatra is useless because the public is not seeing the SIR [the special intensive revision of electoral rolls] as an issue. Initially, I had also expressed apprehension about how the SIR could be completed in such a short time, keeping the Assembly election in mind; the ECI should have conducted it long before. I saw everything, the people’s reactions and the intervention of the Supreme Court as well. At present, in the eyes of the public, it is not an issue. Rahul Gandhi wanted to take political advantage but people did not accept it. For me, he started with zero and ended with zero.
Nitish Kumar has been Chief Minister for the last 20 years, so why do you think people will once again vote for him? Isn’t anti-incumbency a factor in Bihar?
Generally, when one person or one alliance is in power for more than 15 or 20 years, anti-incumbency is the obvious response. In the case of Bihar, it is not and there is a reason for that. I visited several villages where people complained that certain work has not been done in the last 20 years in many sectors. Then I asked them who they trust and who is the person who can do their work. Then people showed trust in the NDA government and they have this belief in their mind that Nitish Kumar has done the work, so he will do it again. If this is the situation, then anti-incumbency will be a little visible, but will not be effective because even today, people have trust in the NDA government, in the Prime Minister, and in Nitish ji.
Are you confident that Nitish Kumar will continue as CM if the NDA forms the government?
I am 100% sure, there is no confusion in it. The election will be held in Bihar under the leadership of Nitish ji and the next government will be formed under his leadership only. There are no ifs and buts about this.
The Opposition always raises questions about Nitish Kumar’s health, alleging that he is not physically and mentally fit to run the State.
This is all nonsense. As far as the Opposition is concerned, they do not have any issue to raise. His health is not what the Opposition is saying. Everyday, he is busy in government programmes, be it an inauguration, laying foundation stones, or holding reviews. If a CM is working for 16 to 18 hours a day and if someone says he is not fit, then it is complete nonsense.
On many occasions, you have said that Nitish Kumar’s son Nishant Kumar should enter politics.
I did not say that he should enter politics, I said that Nitish ji has two responsibilities. One is looking after the State as CM for the past 20 years. So, the people should continue to get the benefit and he should remain the CM. However, he should also think about his responsibility for the party [as he is national president of the Janata Dal (United)]. What he will think about it and how, that’s up to him; this is a suggestion I have given to him.
How do you see Prashant Kishor, the founder of Jan Suraaj party? Do you consider him posing a challenge in the upcoming Assembly election?
In today’s scenario of the Bihar election, I can only see a battle between the NDA and the Mahagathbandhan. I cannot see any other except these two, so there is no point in discussing him.
How many seats will the Rashtriya Lok Morcha get in the NDA?
I cannot discuss the number of seats RLM will get in the media. I will discuss it at the appropriate forum and after discussions, I will be able to tell you about it.
Other NDA allies, such as Jitan Ram Manjhi and Chirag Paswan, are all saying that they will not accept any compromise on respectable seats. What are these respectable seats all about?
Only they can say what are respectable seats. Whose respect is saved and maintained by how many seats and whose respect is equal to how many seats, I cannot tell, only they can tell. I won’t react to them.
In your eyes, what could be the respectable seats?
You are asking the same question in a different way. My answer is the same, that this will be discussed at the discussion table, not outside.
In the context of the election, you recently said that you will not drown alone, but everyone else with you will be drowned.
I did not say, I will drown taking along everyone. For example, suppose the roof of this room falls, it’s not that only you or only me will get injured, we both will get injured. In that context, I had said that there are those who are on the boat and if the boat sinks, I will not drown alone, all of us will drown, regardless of anyone’s mistake.
You are known as a leader who has never compromised on his own survival. Is there any chance that, if the situation changes, you could leave the NDA?
I am not a person who thinks negatively, I always think positively. Why should I pay attention to assumptions ? I believe that whatever happens will be good, so the situation you are discussing as a mere imagination has no meaning.
How is the NDA’s preparation going for the upcoming Assembly election?
Preparation is going on 100% and we are just waiting for the Election Commission’s go-ahead. As soon as a formal announcement is made, we all will jump into the field. The NDA has strong preparation in all 243 seats. We all will contest together and the NDA will win the election.
The Opposition always says that the Constitution is in danger and that the Modi government wants to finish off the reservation system…
The Opposition people also used to say the caste census will not be conducted by the present government at the Centre. Now, the caste census will be conducted. What the Opposition says does not matter, they keep on saying anything for political benefits and to divert people’s attention. The roots of the Constitution given by Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar are so strong that nobody can dare to even shake it. Under the leadership of PM Modi, nobody can touch it and the country is surviving because of the Constitution.
On which issues are you planning to go to the people to seek their votes?
The issues are development on the education and health front, unemployment among the youths, happiness among the farmers so that the agriculture sector can boom and more jobs can be generated. Everyone should receive the benefits of development, even the marginalised people standing in the last row. Development and growth should not be limited to a few people.
The INDIA bloc recently came out with a 10-point resolution for extremely backward classes (EBCs), promising a special law to protect them against atrocities. How important are the EBCs?
I also agree with the condition of the EBCs but not the way they are saying. There is no doubt that in villages, the EBC’s conditions are equal to Dalits or at some places even worse. I don’t know when and what kind of Act should be brought, that’s their thinking. They have nothing to do so they are just offering such things. There is a need to make thoughtful decisions but it’s a fact that EBCs face atrocities like that.
Your long pending demand is reservation in the judiciary.
Not in that way but yes, I have said that representation of every section of the society is not there in the judiciary. There is no diversity and the reason is that the selection process is wrong, unconstitutional, and undemocratic. How can we go forward if undemocratic and unconstitutional work is found in the Supreme Court and the judiciary? People whose family members have been judges in the Supreme Court and High Courts get more opportunities. Irrespective of any caste and religion, no matter if the person is highly educated and excellent in studies, if they do not have money, power, and judges’ background, they can never become a judge. I want this barrier to be removed. I have given the solution as well. Just as there is an open competition for IAS and IPS posts, and those who compete get the post, either rich or poor; in a similar way, there should be open competition to become a judge as well.
