Kushwaha to launch 'Birasat Bachao Naman Yatra' from West Champaran on February 28

PATNA: Newly appointed chairman of Rashtriya Lok Janata Dal (RLJD) and former union minister Upendra Kushwaha will launch 'Birasat Bachao Naman Yatra' from Bhitiharwa Ashram in Bihar's West Champaran district on Tuesday.

"विरासत बचाओ - नमन यात्रा" पर निकले राष्ट्रीय लोक जनता दल के राष्ट्रीय अध्यक्ष श्री उपेंद्र कुशवाहा जी। :@fazalmallick pic.twitter.com/ySpEwS2oYu

— Rashtriya Lok Janata Dal (@RLJDofIndia) February 27, 2023

The yatra will cover 28 districts out of 38 and culminate into a public meeting at Jagdeo Prasad memorial in Kurth in Jehanabad on March 20. During his yatra, Kushwaha will address more than 100 public meetings at memorial sites of different martyrs and distinguished personalities.

The yatra assumed significance in the wake of Kushwaha's attempt to create awareness among people of his caste men (Kushwaha), OBCs and EBCs to save their 'virasat' (political heir). It is his first yatra ever since Kushwaha snapped ties with JD(U) and decided to form a new party—RLJD earlier this month.

Kushwaha raised a banner of revolt within JD(U) soon after chief minister Nitish Kumar announced that grand alliance will contest 2025 assembly election under the leadership of deputy chief minister and RJD leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav.

Kushwaha was then holding the post of chairman of JD(U), which he had joined for the third time after 2020 assembly election. Though Kushwaha claimed that he had joined JD(U) on Nitish's initiative, JD(U) denied it saying that the former was more eager to return to the party.

It will be interesting to see whether Kushwaha gains support of his caste men and emerge as Nitish's political heir, said a political observer Pramod Kumar. Kushwaha's yatra has created a flutter in political circles.