On Saturday, 25 August, Union Minister Upendra Kushwaha had seemingly hinted at a political realignment with the RJD ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
At a function addressing his party members, he had said that a delicious "kheer" could be prepared with milk from the Yadavs and rice from the Kushwahas.
Yaduvanshiyon ka dudh aur Kushwansiyon ka chawal mil jaye to kheer ban sakti hai (Kheer can be prepared with the milk from the Yadavs and rice from the Kushwahas).Upendra Kushwaha
The minister had also said, " We will get the sugar from Brahmins, Tulsi from Choudharyji (RLSP Bihar chief Bhudev Choudhary), and can make delicious kheer with the dry-fruits from the backward classes and Dalits. Then we can relish the delicious kheer together.”
Following an outburst of discussion on a possible political realignment in Bihar that his speech seemed to indicate, Kushwaha on Monday, 27 August, clarified his stance saying:
“I never said anything about any party. I have neither asked for milk from the RJD nor sugar from the BJP. If the RLSP is strong then the NDA will be strengthened and Narendra Modi will become the prime minister in 2019,” Kushwaha stated, News18 reported.
I was talking about social unity. Please don’t identify any caste community with any political party.Upendra Kushwaha to ANI
The Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP) led by Kushwaha is an ally of the ruling NDA government in Bihar. The Yadav community in Bihar is known for rearing cows while the Kushwahas are primarily agriculturists.
Tejashwi-Led RJD Grabs Opportunity
RJD leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, who has time and again extended invitation to Kushwaha to align with the RJD, had immediately grabbed the opportunity, saying that "kheer" prepared with love and affection is delicious, energetic and full of nutrition.
In a tweet, Tejashwi Yadav said, "Undoubtedly Upendra ji, delicious and nutritious kheer is necessary for working class. And health benefits of panchmewa not only provides energy to the body but also helpful in building healthy and equitable society."
BJP Attempts Damage Control
Reacting to Kushwaha’s “kheer” comment, which had sparked off a debate regarding a possible political realignment in Bihar, BJP Bihar President Nityanand Rai spent the whole of Sunday, 26 August, doing major damage control, reports The Times of India (TOI).
It is true that in our culture milk, rice and ‘kheer’ have symbolic value. Whatever Kushwaha said should not be read in parts, nor should much meaning be attached to it.Nityanand Rai, reported byTOI
“It is also a fact that Kushwaha has always maintained that his target is to make Narendra Modi the country’s PM again after the 2019 parliamentary elections,” he added, according to the report.
He also said that since milk, rice and dry fruit are for the country, Kushwaha actually meant that his tasty kheer recipe is for the country, which to him, is largely the BJP.
RLSP Downplays Kushwaha’s Comment
When pointed out that his party chief's statement sounded rebellious, RLSP national general secretary and spokesman Abhyanand Suman had told PTI that the party was still very much in the NDA fold.
On why Kushwaha made such a statement that was sure to embarrass the coalition, he said:
In a democratic set up, every party and its leader try to expand its social base by reaching out to different sections and communities and this effort is in that regard.Abhyanand Suman
(With inputs from PTI, News18 and TOI)
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