Ramanand Yadav (top), nephew of Lalu Prasad, chats with other residents of Phulwaria. (Above) A portion of Lalu’s house in Phulwaria. Pictures by Ashok Sinha

Having lost the state to Nitish Kumar in 2005 and the prized railway ministry to Mamata Banerjee last year, Lalu Prasad is crownless today. But for villagers of Phulwaria, he is their Prime Minister, chief minister and a mortal who can close to being bhagwan.

“Unke raja hone ke pahle koi na tha naam lewa hamara. Hum to daldal mein phanse thay. Yahan koi aa nahin sakta tha (No one knew about us before Lalu Prasad became the king. We were mired in the muddle where no one would visit),” says Ashok Pandey, an upper caste Bhumihar, who are believed to loathe Lalu elsewhere.

Ashok’s description reflects the metamorphosis that Phulwaria — an inaccessible village in Gopalganj district surrounded by marshy land filled with thorny vegetation from all sides — underwent in the 15 years that Lalu-Rabri ruled. Lalu completed the transformation by linking his village to the railways in 2008.

Though other parts of the state languished, undergoing a transformation in reverse order, Phulwaria shone, like an oasis in the desert of non-development. A 30-bed referral hospital, a State Bank of India branch, block and land registry office, electric power sub-station, supply water tank, spanking school building, metal road — name any symbol of infrastructure development; Phulwaria has them all.

What has not changed in Phulwaria is the economic and living condition of the people. Phulwaria’s citizens, including the RJD boss’s family members living in the village, still toil hard in the fields and domesticating cattle.

What has also not changed is their adoration for Lalu Prasad. “He (Lalu) enters every home, rich or poor, when he comes and he comes frequently. He never eats at his own home. He asks for saag, makai ka roti (maize bred), sattu, litti from the villagers and eats them with us,” says Rajballabh Sahu, a lowly caste-man, as he reminisces how he came two months ago and asked for the saag that a poor Teli (lowly caste) woman had cooked for her next morning meal.

Lalu’s own nephew, Ramanand Yadav, lives in the double storied old fashioned home that the RJD boss built for his mother and other family members in the early 1990s. He too lives on rearing cattle, tilling land on bataidari (share cropping) and doing manual work like other villagers.

“My uncle has carried out development of the village; he has got us the things of general public utility. But he has not added a single katha in only the 40 kathas of land that the family of Lalu and five of his brothers have in all,” says Ramanand, taking a break from feeding the buffalos.

“Sadhu, Subhas aur sasural wale bahut loota. Lekin Lalu chacha apne kuchh nahin banaya (Sadhu, Subhas and Lalu’s in-laws became rich exploiting Lalu but Lalu himself did not add to his property).”

Ramanand and other villagers summarily refused to believe that Lalu could be involved in the fodder scam. “Look at the family property, our condition and our way of life. Does it show that Lalu has made property for his family,” says Gulab Yadav, Lalu’s elder brother who too lives on farming and cattle.

It is not that Nitish Kumar has refrained from catching up with Phulwaria villagers. At least 20 boys and girls studying in Class IX have got cycles and over 100 students have got uniform.

But Lalu remains their bhagwan, the messiah who is their “everything”, says Shatrughan Prasad Yadav, a 16-year-old student who has got a cycle from Nitish’s government for going to school.

Lalu, the villagers said, had also asked them to support Mamata Banerjee, who succeeded him as railway minister, never mind the political rhetoric delivered in Delhi. “He asked me and all other villagers to support Mamata Banerjee or the CPM — whoever you like — in Calcutta for they are our friends. Never support the BJP,” remembers Biran Yadav, a retired school teacher and Lalu’s childhood mate. Biran recalled Lalu telling them on his visit two months ago, “Many of you work as coolie, driver and porter in Burrabazar area of Calcutta. You should always support Mamata or CPM. Mamata is a jujharu neta (fighting leader) and CPM is a secular party. They will take care of you if you drop my name to them, they are my friends,” Lalu exhorted the villagers. “I have got you the railways. But Mamata is now its malik. For that reason too you should support Mamata.”

If over 1,100 voters in Phulwaria village, which has a population of 3,000, are allowed to have their sway, Rajesh Kumar Singh, the RJD nominee from Hathwa seat in which Phulwaria falls, is a sure winner. The question Lalu could well be asking himself is why the whole of Bihar could not be like Phulwaria.

Phulwaria is part of Hathwa Assembly seat which votes in the third phase

RJD nominee Rajesh Kumar Singh represents Lalu’s personal pride

X factor: Lalu has an overpowering presence in his village and district

Buzz: There is talk in Gopalganj’s streets to defeat Lalu in his backyard.

Lalu’s sala Sadhu Yadav, contesting on a Congress ticket from Gopalganj, is now in the group of detractors of the former chief minister