Nagmani resigns from RLSP, accuses Kushwaha of 'selling' party tickets

Patna: RLSP leader Nagmani, who was sacked from the post of national executive president two days back, resigned on Sunday from the primary membership accusing party chief Upendra Kushwaha of "selling" Lok Sabha tickets.

"I am announcing my resignation in front of journalists since the RLSP did not observe the courtesy of providing me with a copy of the letter removing me from the top post, the contents of which I came to learn only through the media," Nagmani told reporters here.

Nagmani was sacked from the post of national executive president for indulging in anti-party activities.

"The party had held that my presence at functions attended by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was tantamount to indiscipline. Both such functions were held in the memory of my father Jagdeo Prasad, who is extolled by our Kushwaha community as an icon. Can I be accused of anti-party activities in such a backdrop," Nagmani asked.

The former Union minister in Atal Behari Vajpayee's government also alleged that Upendra Kushwaha and his "cronies" were upset with him since February 7 when he flagged the issue of a party ticket being given from Motihari to Madhaw Anand, who hails from Madhubani and is based in Delhi.

"I told him that there is considerable resentment in Motihari over this decision of the party," Nagmani, who was himself an aspirant for party ticket from Chatra in Jharkhand, said.

He alleged that Kushwaha tried to silence him by saying that Anand had used his corporate connections to get Rs 9 crore for the party.

"I reminded Kushwaha that people like me had joined his party and offered him support since we strongly felt that our community, despite being sizeable, has not got its due in Bihars politics. "He was compromising on our cherished goal by putting tickets on sale. He did not say anything then but I sensed that I had ruffled many feathers. Kushwaha bared his fangs the very next day," he added.

Asked about the Rashtriya Lok Samta Party's (RLSP) contention that it was unacceptable to see him beside Nitish Kumar when the party was accusing the chief minister of having conspired to get Kushwaha killed in the lathi charge of February 2, Nagmani quipped "Kushwaha is a big 'nautankibaaz' (One who indulges in drama). He stayed in hospital for two days without having received a single blow on his body".

Reacting to Nagmanis allegations, the RLSP office here shot off a release dismissing his claims about the Motihari Lok Sabha seat.

Ir said RLSP was yet to formally announce candidates for any seat.