Bihar: Appointment of son as minister leads to spate of resignations, sparking rebellion in Upendra Kushwaha's RLM
In Bihar politics, "love for son" has ignited a rebellion in one party. Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) chief Upendra Kushwaha, bypassing his wife and elected MLAs, appointed his son Deepak Prakash as a minister. This decision has caused such a stir within the party that seven prominent leaders have resigned simultaneously. Kushwaha, who often talks about socialism, is now facing direct accusations of promoting dynasty politics, which has brought his party to the brink of collapse.
In the recently concluded Bihar Assembly elections, Kushwaha's wife Snehlata became an MLA from Sasaram, while his party won a total of four seats under the NDA alliance. Political circles had expected Snehlata to become a minister, but his son Deepak Prakash took the oath.
Surprisingly, Deepak is neither an MLA nor a member of the Legislative Council, yet he has been assigned the Panchayati Raj portfolio. Displeased with this decision, several senior party officials, including State President Mahendra Kushwaha and Vice President Jitendra Nath, have quit the party.
'Deepak should be given time to prove himself'
Defending his decision, Upendra Kushwaha described his son as a "qualified computer engineer." He said that Deepak is not a failed student; he earned his degree through hard work and has also held a job, so he should be given time to prove himself.
Upendra offered a philosophical take on the accusations of nepotism, saying that churning the ocean produces both nectar and poison, and that he has made this difficult decision for the party. He acknowledged that this decision will lead to accusations of nepotism, but he said he will accept it as "poison."
'Chose his family over struggling workers'
Leaders who left the party say that Upendra Kushwaha often spoke of moral values, but when the opportunity arose, he chose his family over struggling workers. Rahul Kumar stated that Kushwaha has fallen into the trap of dynasty politics.
Upendra Kushwaha's political history has also been fraught with ups and downs. Since 2009, he has separated from and rejoined the JDU several times. Analysts believe that his instability, and his decision to hand over the reins to his son, has created the perception that his party now belongs only to "husband, wife, and son."
Prakash Kumar Pandey