No repeat of 1999: Laloo

Although he tasted defeat at the hands of his erstwhile mentor, Laloo Yadav does not like to be on the backfoot. Adopting a strikingly different style of campaign, the indomitable Laloo starts from where Sharad Yadav ends.

Laloo Prasad Yadav addressing an election rally at Madhepura.

Although he tasted defeat at the hands of his erstwhile mentor, RJD supremo Laloo Yadav does not like to be on the backfoot. Adopting a strikingly different style of campaign, the indomitable Laloo starts from where the JD (U) candidate ends.

On a whirlwind tour to Madhepura, Laloo cuts short the wooing game. Instead, he enters into a straight dialogue with the electorate waiting under the scorching sun at the BL School campus at Murliganj saying “Bharimatdaan karna hai, Sharad Yadav ko Jabalpur ka rashta dikha dena hai (caste your vote in large numbers and send Sharad back to where he belongs).”

Amidst loud cheering from a motley group of people, mainly his supporters, Laloo immediately broaches the 1999 election results. He puts them on the defensive saying ‘Pichli baar dhilai se BJP ka B-team jeet kar chala gaya. Desh mein badnami hui. Dilli mein log puchte Laloo Madhepura mein haar gaya, kaise sambhav hai (last time the BJP’s B-team scraped through. It was a big let down. People in Delhi were unable to believe it).’

Successful in remonstrating and also mesmerising them into believing that it was a ‘blunder’, he dismisses 1999 as an ‘aberration’. “I have not taken it to heart. All brothers and sisters of Madhepura are dear to me,” he says recounting what he did for them despite his defeat.

Welcoming several local JD (U) leaders in RJD fold at the newly-created Shankarpur block under Singheswar assembly segment, Laloo projects himself as the peoples’ candidate, who was present in their court at their bidding, he says ‘Yeh ladai Laloo Yadav ki nahin, desh ki ladai hai. Jo bhi faisla denge ushshe Hastinapur ka faisla hoga (This is not Laloo’s fight. Rather, your vote would decide who will rule at Delhi).”

Trying not to sound personal in his fight against Sharad, he informs the people that his real fight is against communalism. “Maine aapka jhanda nahin girney diya, par Sharad wahin ghush gaya (I have not let down your flag, but Sharad aligned himself with the BJP-RSS).”