Ex-JD(U) lawmakers Santosh Kushwaha, Rahul Sharma join RJD ahead of Bihar polls

Patna, Oct 10 (PTI) Former JD(U) lawmakers Santosh Kushwaha and Rahul Sharma joined the opposition RJD on Friday ahead of the assembly elections in Bihar.

Kushwaha and Sharma joined the RJD in the presence of its leader Tejashwi Yadav.

Kushwaha had won the Purnea Lok Sabha seat for the JD(U) twice on the trot, but lost to Independent candidate Pappu Yadav last year.

His Lok Sabha debut in 2014 had taken many by surprise as he quit the BJP, giving up the Baisi assembly seat and rode against the "Modi wave", bagging for the JD(U) one of the only two seats for the party of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who was shattered by the drubbing and stepped down, owning moral responsibility, only to return less than a year later.

Sharma is a former MLA from Ghosi in Jehanabad district and the son of Jagdish Sharma, a political heavyweight from the area. He had won the seat for a record eight terms, as an Independent as well as on tickets of Janata Party, BJP and JD(U).

Lok Janshakti Party leader Ajay Kushwaha, and JD(U) Banka MP Girdhari Prasad Yadav's son Chanaykya Prasad Ranjan also joined the RJD.

Their induction is being seen as part of the RJD's strategy to win over the Kushwaha community, and Bhumihars, a powerful upper caste group -- both traditionally aligned with the NDA.

"The RJD family welcomes Santosh Kushwaha, Rahul Sharma, Ajay Kushwaha and Chanaykya Prasad Ranjan. The party will be strengthened after their joining," Yadav said.

"People are fed up with the NDA government in the state. The CM is not in his senses. His government will be thrown out by the people in the coming assembly polls," he claimed.

Polling will be held for the assembly elections on November 6 and 11, while the votes will be counted on November 14. PTI NAC PKD SOM