Patna: The Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM), led by Upendra Kushwaha, was plunged deeper into turmoil on Thursday as senior leaders from its business wing resigned en masse, accusing the party leadership of straying from its founding principles and signalling their intention to join the ruling Janata Dal (United).
At a press conference in Patna, Anant Kumar Gupta, the former state president of the RLM’s business wing, said he and several colleagues had submitted their resignations to Kushwaha. Gupta alleged that the party had “abandoned its ideology and policies”, leaving leaders with little option but to leave.
Gupta praised Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, describing him as a leader who treats “the whole of Bihar as his family” and works for the development of all sections of society. He said the group would soon formally join JD(U). Among those who resigned alongside him were Umesh Prasad, Mohanlal, Shivchandra Prasad Gupta, Ajay Gupta, Gopal Prasad, Shashi Kishore Sah, Ranjan Prasad and Basukinath Gupta.
The latest exits add to weeks of internal unrest within the RLM, which has intensified since Kushwaha’s son, Deepak Prakash, was inducted as a minister in the Nitish Kumar government. Several party figures have privately expressed resentment over what they see as dynastic favouritism, and multiple leaders have quit over the past month.
Signs of strain are also visible in the party’s legislative wing. Three of RLM’s four MLAs — Madhav Anand, Rameshwar Mahto and Alok Singh — have increasingly kept their distance from the leadership. On Wednesday, the trio skipped a party gathering hosted by Kushwaha and instead met BJP working president Nitin Naveen, fuelling speculation about further defections.
