Upendra Kushwaha, Minister of State for Rural Development, Panchayati Raj, Drinking Water and Sanitation, helped NDA make inroads among backward castes voters in Bihar in the current Lok Sabha poll.
A former associate of former Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, he elevated to the post of Leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly in 2004 in his very first outing as MLA from Jandaha in Vaishali district by Mr Kumar. The 54-year-old Mr Kushwaha later fell out with the Janata Dal (United) leader.
After unsuccessfully experimenting with NCP as its state chief, Mr Kushwaha later mended ways with Mr Kumar who sent him to Rajya Sabha in 2010.
But, the reconciliation did not last long and Mr Kushwaha ultimately quit JD(U) and also vacated his Rajya Sabha seat.
He formed Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP) on March 3, 2013 to launch agitation against Mr Kumar.
His anti-Nitish Kumar tirade earned him a place in NDA with RLSP reaching seat-sharing with BJP.
RLSP won all the three seats of Karakat, Jehanabad and Sitamarhi. Mr Kushwaha himself won from the Karakat seat.