Patna: Upendra Kushwaha, the head of the Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM), has made a subtle return in the Bihar Assembly elections, despite losing the Karakat Lok Sabha seat. His family’s involvement has been significant, with four of the six candidates his party fielded winning their seats, including his wife, Snehlata Kushwaha. A further MLA was secured through Kushwaha’s strategy of placing loyalist Pappu Verma on the JDU symbol, bringing the total to five legislators across different parties. The most notable success was the appointment of his son, Deepak Prakash, as a minister in Nitish Kumar’s cabinet, which effectively ensures him a seat in the Legislative Council, strengthening the family’s political position.
Kushwaha previously caused tension within the NDA by expressing dissatisfaction over seat-sharing, particularly after the LJP claimed the Mahua seat. To manage the situation, the BJP quickly intervened, sending senior leader Nityanand Rai to meet him in Delhi. The BJP was cautious following Kushwaha’s Lok Sabha defeat, where Pawan Singh’s candidacy allowed the Grand Alliance to surpass the NDA in Shahabad and Magadh. A dissatisfied Kushwaha could have jeopardized NDA prospects in crucial caste-sensitive regions. However, by remaining loyal to the alliance, he has secured multiple political advantages and increased influence in the new government. The political landscape has shifted towards family involvement, as Kushwaha and Nitish Kumar were once notable for keeping their families out of direct politics.
Now, Kushwaha’s wife is an MLA, and his son is a minister on the brink of becoming an MLC. With four MLAs from RLMO and one from JDU aligned with him, Kushwaha’s position is strong, and his Rajya Sabha extension is assured. This places him in line with Bihar’s growing family-centric political dynamics, despite his previous calls for Nitish Kumar’s son, Nishant Kumar, to engage in politics. While Kushwaha attempted to further his influence by fielding another loyalist, Ranvijay Singh, from the Goh seat on a BJP ticket, this effort failed. Nevertheless, this loss did not significantly impact Kushwaha’s broader achievements. With four MLC vacancies arising and elections approaching, his negotiating power remains robust.
His decision to not appoint Snehlata or MLA Madhav Anand as ministers has preserved MLC numbers, creating space for his son. In a political landscape where LJP-R’s Chirag Paswan is perceived as a major beneficiary and HAM (S) has managed to secure a minister despite contesting only six seats, Kushwaha has emerged as a quieter yet more strategic victor.