BJP plays down Rashtriya Lok Samata Party proposal to make Upendra Kushwaha as NDA CM face

PATNA: BJP today sought to play down NDA ally Rashtriya Lok Samata Party ( RLSP) proposing its chief Upendra Kushwaha's candidature as the NDA's Chief Ministerial face in Bihar.

"Every party has a right to air its view. So far, talks on seat-sharing and other issues have not even begun in the NDA," senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi told.

"Till a decision is taken, any party could present some claim... all the issues would be sorted out amicably," he said over phone from Naughachia.

Upendra Kushwaha, Union Minister of state for HRD, is a friend-turned foe of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

Sushil Modi rubbished reports of chinks within the NDA on the basis of assertions of RLSP.

Asked that RLSP has asked the BJP to contest on 102 assembly seats leaving 74 and 67 seats for the LJP and RLSP respectively, Sushil Modi refused to make any comment and said these issues would be taken up in NDA meeting.

"Presently, we are busy with elections to 24 seats of Legislative Council from local bodies which would be over by July 15 after which the party leadership would take up issues for September-October Assembly elections," Sushil Modi, most prominent face of BJP in the state said.

The RLSP had won all three Lok Sabha seats alloted to it in general elections last year by the NDA.