Patna, Dec 31 Amid speculation of a possible rift within Upendra Kushwaha’s Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM), a photograph shared on social media on Wednesday by RLM MLA Rameshwar Mahto has drawn sharp political attention and sent a strong signal to the party leadership.
Mahto posted a picture showing himself with fellow RLM MLAs Madhav Anand and Alok Singh. Along with the image, he wrote: “We are all united, together today and will remain together in the future. With the strength of the NDA and the resolve for the all-round development of Bihar, we are together. Jai NDA.”
While the post sought to project unity, it conspicuously avoided any direct reference to the Rashtriya Lok Morcha or its chief, Upendra Kushwaha. Mahto tagged the two MLAs but did not tag Kushwaha or the party’s official handle, instead using hashtags such as #NDA4Bihar, #Bihar, and #RLM.
The omission has fuelled speculation over whether the three MLAs remain firmly aligned with the RLM leadership or are signalling a separate collective identity within the NDA. The post also did not clarify whether the alleged differences between the MLAs and Kushwaha -- reported by sections of the media -- have been resolved.
During the Bihar Assembly elections, Kushwaha fielded his wife, Snehlata Kushwaha, who won, while Rameshwar Mahto, Madhav Anand and Alok Singh also secured victories, giving the RLM a total of four MLAs.
However, Kushwaha’s decision to nominate his son, Deepak Prakash, to the Nitish Kumar cabinet sparked discussions on nepotism and reportedly led to discontent among the party’s legislators.
The situation became more contentious after reports claimed Kushwaha wanted to appoint his daughter-in-law, Sakshi Mishra, to the State Civil Council, a post earlier held by Madhav Anand. Kushwaha later categorically denied these reports.
Against this backdrop, the joint appearance of the three MLAs and their assertion of unity has assumed political significance. However, it remains unclear whether this unity extends to the RLM leadership or is confined to their shared position within the NDA.
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