RLSP Chief Upendra Kushwaha Clarifies His Statement on ‘Kheer’ Theory, Says Will Support NDA

Kushwaha’s RLSP is currently a part of BJP-led NDA ruling at the Centre.

Written by: India.com News Desk

Published: August 27, 2018, 12:01 PM IST

Share

Share Article

• Facebook
• WhatsApp
• X
• Email
• Telegram
• Linkedin

https://www.india.com/news/india/rlsp-chief-upendra-kushwaha-clarifies-his-statement-on-kheer-theory-says-will-support-nda-3258462/ Copy

New Delhi: A day after Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP) chief hinted at leaving NDA, Union Minister Upendra Kushwaha on Monday said that his statement has been misinterpreted. Talking to news agency ANI, Kushwaha said, “I was talking about social unity. Please don’t identify any caste community with any political party.”

RLSP chief and Union Minister Upendra Kushwaha, while addressing a gathering in Bihar on Saturday, dropped a broad hint in connection with the possible political realignment and said that the combination of from Yadavs and rice from Kushwahas makes a good ‘kheer’.

I was talking about social unity. Please don’t identify any caste community with any political party: Upendra Kushwaha,Union Minister and RLSP Chief on his earlier statement ‘Yaduvanshi(Yadavs) ka doodh aur Kushvanshi(Koeri community) ka chawal mil jaye to kheer badhiya hogi.’ pic.twitter.com/qU7qf9CH4L

— ANI (@ANI) August 27, 2018

“A large number of Yadavs have come for this event. When the milk from Yadavs and rice from Kushwahas are mixed together, it makes for good ‘kheer’. But for making kheer, not only we need milk and rice, it also needs ‘dry fruits’ in the form of support from the downtrodden and backward classes. This is the meaning of social justice,” said the minister.

Yaduvanshi(Yadavs) ka doodh aur Kushvanshi(Koeri community) ka chawal mil jaye to kheer badhiya hogi. Aur us swadisht vyanjan ko ban ne se koi rok nahi sakta hai: Upendra Kushwaha,Union Minister and Rashtriya Lok Samta Party Chief in Patna (25.8.18) pic.twitter.com/QhuEScEpwi

— ANI (@ANI) August 26, 2018

Members of the Yadav community are traditionally cattle-rearers and the Kushwahas, who belong to the Koeri community, are an agricultural community. Both the groups fall under the OBC category. Although Kushwaha’s RLSP is currently a part of BJP-led NDA ruling at the Centre.

Last month, Kushwaha skipped an Iftar party in Patna, organised by the Janata Dal United (JDU), amid reports of a rift stemming in the NDA in Bihar.  He had excused himself citing his preoccupation in Delhi.

RSLP leader Nagmani had said that Nitish Kumar was not the only Chief Ministerial candidate from Bihar, and demanded that RLSP leader Upendra Kushwaha be considered as the chief ministerial candidate for the state.

Earlier on June 7 as well, Kushwaha had skipped a get together of NDA in Bihar. If reports are to be believed, the RLSP chief is miffed with CM Nitish Kumar’s growing influence in National Democratic Alliance.

Last month, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav had hinted that the Union minister would be welcomed if he chose to switch sides and join the RJD-led grand alliance in Bihar. He had also claimed that the RLSP chief has no place in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).