BJP Ally Upendra Kushwaha Clarifies on 'Kheer Recipe' Remark, Denies Hinting at RJD-RLSP Pact
Kushwaha had said the rice cultivated by Koeris - the community he represents - will make a 'delicious kheer' if mixed with the milk supplied from 'Yadavs' -- a core voter base of the Lalu Prasad-led RJD.
Patna, Aug 27: Union Minister of State for Human Resource and Development, Upendra Kushwaha, purportedly hinted at political realignment in Bihar with his 'kheer recipe' remark on Sunday. A day later, he has issued a clarification saying that his statement should not interpreted politically.
"Please don’t connect it with any caste equation and an alliance with any political party," said Kushwaha, who heads the Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP).
Kushwaha had stoked the buzz in political circles of Bihar while addressing an event on the 100th birth anniversary of late BP Mandal, who headed the Mandal Commission which recommended 27 per cent reservation for the Other Backward Classes.
In his address, Kushwaha said the rice cultivated by Koeris - the community he represents - will make a "delicious kheer" if mixed with the milk supplied from "Yadavs" -- a core voter base of the Lalu Prasad Yadav-led RJD.
"Yaduvanshi ka doodh aur Kushvanshi ka chawal mil jaye to kheer badhiya hogi. Aur us swadisht vyanjan ko ban ne se koi rok nahi sakta hai. (Milk from Yadavs and rice from Kushwahas will combine to form good 'kheer'. No one can prevent this delicious recipe from being prepared)," he had said.
Notably, his statements comes day after reports claimed that Kushwaha had expressed dissidence within the NDA camp for being purportedly sidelined by the BJP after the re-induction of JD(U) led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
Bihar's former deputy CM and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav had, earlier in the month, reached out to Kushwaha saying the Grand Alliance (RJD-Congress) will welcome him to their fold if as they share "ideological grounds".
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 27, 2018 03:46 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).