Upendra Kushwaha seeks forgiveness after RLM gets just six seats in NDA Bihar seat-sharing deal

New Delhi, Oct 13 (IANS) Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) chief Upendra Kushwaha has issued an emotional appeal to his supporters after the NDA announced its seat-sharing arrangement for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections, in which his party has been allocated only six seats. 

In a heartfelt post on the social media platform X, Kushwaha sought forgiveness from his colleagues and party workers on Sunday, who had expected a greater share. His message comes amid visible disappointment among RLM cadres and supporters.

“I seek your forgiveness. The number of seats could not be as per your expectations. I understand that this decision will hurt the hearts of thousands—millions—of people, including those colleagues who aspired to be candidates of our party,” he wrote.

Acknowledging the emotional response of his supporters, he added:

“Today, in many homes, food might not have been cooked. However, I am sure you all understand the constraints and limitations of both me and the party. Behind every decision, there are some circumstances that are visible from the outside, but there are also some that are not visible from the outside.”

“I humbly request you to let the anger subside, and then you will yourself realize how appropriate or inappropriate the decision is. Time will tell the rest,” Kushwaha concluded.

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) on Sunday finalized its seat-sharing pact for Bihar. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Janata Dal (United) will contest 101 seats each. Chirag Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) has been allotted 29 seats, while Upendra Kushwaha’s RLM and Jitan Ram Manjhi’s Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) will contest six seats each.

The announcement was made by BJP leaders Vinod Tawde and Dharmendra Pradhan, with Tawde posting on X: “United and Dedicated NDA.” According to Pradhan, the agreement followed a series of meetings in Delhi and Patna among alliance partners.

Meanwhile, the BJP Central Election Committee has finalized most of its candidates, with a focus on introducing new faces while possibly dropping sitting MLAs facing public discontent. The party's first candidate list is expected on Monday.

--IANS

rs/