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Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad on Wednesday addressed a major rally in Bihar. He called Chief Minister Nitish Kumar a "dictator" whose "downfall" has begun and a "parrot" of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Sixty-five-year-old Prasad, seeking popular support to regain power, spewed venom on his bete noire on a wide range of issues and said the beginning of the end of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government in Bihar had started, due to "growing disgust of the people with their present rulers".
The former chief minister, whose RJD ruled Bihar for 15 uninterrupted years till 2005 before being defeated by the Nitish Kumar-led JD(U)-BJP alliance, was addressing the Parivartan Rally at the historic Gandhi Maidan here in a show of strength. A large crowd gathered at the venue despite the temperature soaring past 40 degrees Celsius.
"Nitish Kumar is a dictator. I will throw him out of power," he said to a thunderous applause, as he peppered his speech with his rustic humour.
"Nitish Kumar is behaving like a parrot sitting in the lap of BJP and RSS. He is the parrot of RSS. Their downfall will be because of their own deeds. Their downfall has started and nobody will come to save them at all."
The ebullient RJD strongman had travelled across the state asking people to join the rally, which has sparked political mudslinging between RJD and the ruling NDA.
The rally was also utilised for turning the spotlight on Prasad's two sons, Tej Pratap and Tejaswi Yadav.
He also defended his sons taking keen interest in the affairs of the RJD and asked, "What is wrong if my sons have taken to the lantern (RJD symbol)?.... Should they take up the lotus or the arrow (symbols of BJP and JD(U) respectively)?"
He said Kumar's secular credentials will always remain under the scanner despite his proclamations to the contrary. Prasad said he will not allow the communal forces to wrest power at the Centre.
He also took Kumar to task for not doing enough to protect the minorities when many Muslim youth were arrested by the security agencies of other states on the charge of those people being terror modules.
Recalling massive public protest by Panchayat teachers among others against Kumar during the Adhikar Yatra in Bihar last year, Prasad taunted the JD(U) leader, saying he had become so sick of the black flags being waved at him during the month-long tour that he had directed the district administration to ban people from wearing black clothes.
Lashing out at alleged excesses of the NDA government like during the Adhikar Yatra to control protests, Prasad said amid thunderous applause, "You cannot suppress genuine anger of the people by force."
Prasad also announced that RJD would provide 50 per cent tickets to the youth in the next Assembly elections, If RJD returns to power, Prasad promised to regularise the contractual Panchayat teachers.
Prasad's wife and former chief minister Rabri Devi also addressed the gathering and exhorted people to oust the NDA government from power.
Meanwhile, a chaotic situation prevailed at the venue with the enthusiastic RJD supporters breaking barricades to move into the media corner and other vacant places beyond designated areas for seats even as Prasad tried in vain to restore order.
Elaborate security arrangements were made by the district administration and the police to maintain law and order in the state capital. The rally organisers had hired 13 trains to bring the RJD workers and supporters from various parts of Bihar for the mega rally.
