Law Kumar Mishra
Patna, October 27
RJD President Lalu Prasad on Wednesday confused the Bihar unit of the Congress claiming AICC president Sonia Gandhi telephoned him and inquired about his health.
Talking to media persons at Patna airport before leaving for Tarapur in Munger district to address an election meeting, Lalu said, “I suggested to her to convene a meeting of the non-BJP leaders to unite against the BJP. She agreed.” Two days ago, Lalu had strongly criticised the AICC general secretary in-charge of Bihar, Bhakta Charan Das and described him as purblind.
Das had declared departure of Congress alliance with RJD. Addressing a press conference, Das did not confirm Sonia-Lalu conversation over phone.
Former Speaker of Lok Sabha and daughter of Jagjiwan Ram, Meira Kumar reacted strongly to Lalu’s comments and claimed here it was an insult to the Dalits. Shakil Ahmad Khan, senior Congress MLA and spokesperson, however, claimed Lalu was telling lies. Even Bhakta Charan Das has no information about Sonia-Lalu Talks. An AICC leader told this correspondent over phone from New Delhi that the AICC office has no such information. “Neither our Bihar unit has any information,” he said.
After a gap of six years, Lalu appeared in two public meetings at Tarapur in Munger district and Kueshwarstahan in Darbhanga district to seek votes for the RJD candidates in the by-elections. He claimed the response was huge and RJD would capture both the seats. At both the places, Lalu in his typical style of an aggressive campaigner, attacked Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and claimed it was he (Lalu) who made him CM in 2015 elections ignoring the genuine claim of Tejaswhi Prasad Yadav. But, Nitish deceived him, he alleged.
Reacting to the statement of Nitish Kumar after his two days electioneering that “Lalu can get him killed (Goli Marwa Sakte hain), Lalu said in the public meetings “You will die on your own (Tum Apne Mar Jaoge). He said he had told the media, after two election meetings on Wednesday, he would ensure Nitish government was dissolved (Visarjan), but Nitish misinterpreted. “Even now, I am unable to read him right,” Lalu said.
He did not attack the Prime Minister as done in the past, but said “I never compromised with the BJP. I got L K Advani arrested when I was CM, but Nitish who had declared he would never share hands with the BJP was now playing in the lap of the BJP to remain in power. “Kaam ka Nahi Nikla (he is worthless),” Lalu mocked Nitish and recalled his performance as Railway Minister. He said when he handed over the ministry, Railways was in profit of Rs 60,000 crore. And, now a passenger has to bring his or her own blanket, bed and even drinking water while travelling in the trains.
At Tarapur, to woo the members of the trading community, he introduced the RJD candidate as Arun Sao, though the candidate writes Arun Kumar. Former Deputy Chief Minister and senior BJP leader, Sushil Kumar Modi,also visited Tarapur to influence the voters of the trading community.
Congress has fielded candidates in both the places after RJD refused to allot one of the two-Kusheshwarsthan, a SC reserved constituency. Lalu while addressing the election meeting minutes before the campaign said RJD has fielded an educated Dalit candidate.
By-elections were necessitated because of the death of the sitting JDU MLAs. Younger son Tejashwi was with Lalu. Tejpratap alleged he was denied entry into the two places by the State Party President, Jagdanand Singh.
