AT HIS BEST: RJD chief Lalu Prasad at the RJD party office in Patna. Picture by Deepak Kumar

Patna, Sept. 23: Bihar politics is full of rhyme and rhythm these days. After Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar went after RJD chief Lalu Parasd making a parody of Slumdog Millionaire’s jai ho, the former railway minister today countered Nitish with a rhyme.

“Ye shashan hai Maharaj Sushashan ka, Khel ho raha hai Kushashan ka, Bhay, Bhukh, Bhrastachar Mitayenge, A C, D C farji bill banwayenge, RSS ke god me baithkar secular kahlayenge (Reign of terror, forgery in the name of good governance, claiming to be secular being with the RSS),” the RJD chief sang in his inimitable style.

The RJD chief said: “I saw that engineer (Nitish) has become a poet and singing poetry. So, I am also replying in the same vein.”

Claiming that Nitish had cheated almost everyone — right from Anand Mohan to Prabhunath Singh, Lalan Singh and upper castes, who had played an important role in bringing him into the power, Lalu dared Nitish to announce the next chief minister from his party would be from the upper caste.

“My party has announced the chief minister’s candidature and so it cannot be changed now,” he said, adding that he would give 10 per cent reservation to upper castes if he came to power.

Terming Nitsh power greedy, Lalu said: “Had there been an Assembly on the moon, he (Kumar) would have gone there to capture power.”

Stating that Nitish has lost his political ground, Lalu said the chief minister had constantly been trying to create fear among the upper caste reminding them about his (Lalu’s) 15 of years of rule. “But people should not forget that even Nitish had been with me for first six years,” Lalu said.

Referring to the Lakhisarai incident where the Maoists had held policemen hostage, the RJD leader said everyone saw how Nitish surrendered before the Naxalites and showed his helplessness in dealing with the situation.

The RJD boss also appealed people to maintain peace and communal harmony whenever the Ayodhya judgment was pronounced.

Following the footsteps of his father, Lalu Prasad’s son Tejaswi also fired salvo at Nitish today.

“My Nitish chacha (uncle) will be wiped out from Bihar after the ensuing elections as everyone, including youths, women, Dalits and upper castes will support the RJD,” Tejaswi, a cricketer, told reporters in the presence of his father.

Asked whether he would address election meetings with his father, Tejaswi said: “Whenever papa speaks, he (Lalu) does not allow anyone to speak. He speaks everything and does not leave anything for others.”

After finishing off his media interaction, Lalu asked his son to greet everybody.

“He (Tejaswi) has not come here for the membership. He is very much there in the party. My son is trying to learn how his papa speaks. Actually he is taking training,” Lalu said.

Asked whether he would be canvassing for the RJD candidates, Lalu said: “He will certainly campaign for the party and will appeal to vote for his papa.”