NDA seat-sharing debate more in media than among constituent parties: Upendra Kushwaha

NEW DELHI, INDIA - SEPTEMBER 21: National Samata Party President Upendra Kushwaha with Senior leader Shivraj Singh during the press conference to announce the list of candidates for Bihar elections at his residence on September 21, 2015 in New Delhi, India. RLSP released its first list of 17 candidates for the coming Bihar assembly polls. Bihar will hold five-phase elections between October 12 and November 5 to elect the 243-member assembly. Counting of votes will take place on November 8. (Photo by Ravi Choudhary/Hindustan Times via Getty Images)

Union minister and RLSP chief Upendra Kushwaha downplayed speculations on seat-sharing arrangement among NDA constituents, saying the issue is being debated more in the media than among political parties.

"When we think it necessary, we will speak to you (media) about it (alliance and seat-sharing)," Kushwaha told reporters at his party officer.

He said the media is "writing something today, another thing tomorrow. There is no role of political parties in it."

"Seat-sharing is an issue which is being debated more among media persons than political parties," the Union Minister of State for Human Resource Development said.

In the wake of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar meeting with BJP president Amit Shah in New Delhi, speculations have been rife in the media circle, quoting JD(U) leaders, that seat-sharing talks were "in final stages" and as per tentative formula, the RLSP is likely to get not more than two of the 40 Lok Sabha seats in the state.

RLSP national general secretary and spokesman Madhaw Anand had on Saturday blamed the JD(U) for creating a "confusion" over seat-sharing within the ruling coalition.

Media reports have also talked about a possibility of the RLSP switching over to opposition alliance Mahagathandhan in the event the party did not get a favourable deal in the NDA.

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav has on numerous occasions extended invitation to Kushwaha to come to his side.

Asked about his party's senior leader Nagmani's statement on Saturday that the RLSP is being belittled and indirectly told to quit the NDA and rush into the arms of the opposition Mahagathbandhan, Kushwaha said, "I don't know who is saying what...I am expressing my viewpoint on the issue."

Asked for his comment on much publicised 20-20 formula for seat-sharing in the NDA, Kushwaha said, "I don't have the experience of playing cricket. We are the people who used to play gilli-danda. So I don't know about 20-20 match."

The 20-20 formula highlighted in the media talked about BJP proposing to keep half of the total of 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar with it and distribute rest equal number among allies (JD-U 12, LJP 6 and RLSP 2).

Kushwaha also announced a schedule for launching "Halla Bol Darwaja Khol" campaign for ensuring proper representation and rights of SC, ST and OBC communities and poor among the upper castes in higher judiciary- Supreme Court and High Courts, besides ensuring education to these sections.

The party would organise divisional level conferences at Muzaffarpur (October 28), Gaya (November 3), Munger (November 24) and Purnea (November 25), Kushwaha said, adding that conferences will be held in other divisional and regional level in days to come.