<p>Kushwaha, who, was the general secretary of the BSP and once held the important family welfare portfolio, had been active in the districts of the backward Bundelkhand region, which have a significant number of voters belonging to his community.<br /><br />Political observers and even BSP leaders opine that Kushwaha may “hurt” BSP’s prospects, at least in the Bundelkhand region, in the next assembly elections, if he decides to join hands with some other political outfit. Over 200 BSP workers and leaders, all belonging to the “kushwaha community” had already resigned from the party in protest against his expulsion.<br /><br /> “There are many more in line,” claim Kushwaha's supporters. Kushwaha community voters are a deciding factor for several seats in the Chitrakoot, Banda, Mahoba and Hamirpur districts and their preference could harm the prospects of the BSP nominees.<br /><br />“Kushwaha may not have been a mass leader but he had contributed immensely towards strengthening the BSP in Bundelkhand region. He had helped many a party worker and the people of his community in getting jobs,” said BSP leaders. <br /><br />Although almost all the major political parties, including the Congress, BJP and Samajwadi Party, have said that they will not accept Kushwaha into their respective parties, observers do not rule out the possibility of his joining any one of them in the near future. Congress leaders in Banda have been pressing the state leadership hard for Kushwaha's inclusion to expand the party's support base in Bundelkhand. Now, the party does not have a prominent “Kushwaha community” leader.</p>
<p>Kushwaha, who, was the general secretary of the BSP and once held the important family welfare portfolio, had been active in the districts of the backward Bundelkhand region, which have a significant number of voters belonging to his community.<br /><br />Political observers and even BSP leaders opine that Kushwaha may “hurt” BSP’s prospects, at least in the Bundelkhand region, in the next assembly elections, if he decides to join hands with some other political outfit. Over 200 BSP workers and leaders, all belonging to the “kushwaha community” had already resigned from the party in protest against his expulsion.<br /><br /> “There are many more in line,” claim Kushwaha's supporters. Kushwaha community voters are a deciding factor for several seats in the Chitrakoot, Banda, Mahoba and Hamirpur districts and their preference could harm the prospects of the BSP nominees.<br /><br />“Kushwaha may not have been a mass leader but he had contributed immensely towards strengthening the BSP in Bundelkhand region. He had helped many a party worker and the people of his community in getting jobs,” said BSP leaders. <br /><br />Although almost all the major political parties, including the Congress, BJP and Samajwadi Party, have said that they will not accept Kushwaha into their respective parties, observers do not rule out the possibility of his joining any one of them in the near future. Congress leaders in Banda have been pressing the state leadership hard for Kushwaha's inclusion to expand the party's support base in Bundelkhand. Now, the party does not have a prominent “Kushwaha community” leader.</p>