Lalu Rally Attracts Huge Gathering in Patna
ANWARUL HODA / PATNA
‘BJP bhagao, desh bachao’ rally organized by joint Opposition led by RJD attracted huge crown in Patna today . Prominent politicians like Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav, Janata Dal (United) leader Sharad Yadav and senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi be joined hands with Lalu Prasad Yadav.
Criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Lalu Prasad Yadav said: “The country is witnessing an emergency-like situation today. Those not agreeing with him are being harassed by lodging court cases.”
Lalu alleged Kumar broke alliance with the Grand Alliance as he had got jealous of his son, former deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav. It was during Tejashwi’s tenure that Ara-Chapra and Digha bridges over Ganga were opened.
The RJD president said the chief minister doesn’t hold moral authority to continue on his post for serious charges against him.
“Cases relating to murder and attempt to murder are pending against him (Nitish Kumar) in the court. He is also an accused in Srijan scam,” he alleged.
However, Congress president Sonia Gandhi and party vice president Rahul Gandhi had skipped the gathering. But senior leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad, C P Joshi and Hanumantha Rao would represent the party, according to reports.
RJD chief Lalu Prasad has said the ‘BJP bhagao desh bachao’ rally would herald the decline of the BJP-led NDA in the 2019 Lok Sabha election.
Rebel JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav, who is staring at an expulsion from the party for defying orders of not to attend the rally, was greeted warmly by Prasad who embraced him on the dais.
Yadav was accompanied by suspended JD(U) Rajya Sabha MP Ali Anwar.
Mamata fully back Lalu at rally
Adressing the rally West Bengal chief minister and Trinamool Congress chief Miss Mamata Banerjee asked the people to trust RJD chief Lalu Prasad completely.
“Laluji ki baat par 100 percent vishwas kar saate hain (You can trust Lalu Prasad 100 percent),” Miss Banerjee said addressing RJD’s “BJP Bhagao, Desh Bachao” rally held at Patna’s Gandhi Maidan on Sunday.
“We trust him much. They are the people who will put their own lives in danger but can’t break the trust,” she said.
She mocked chief minister Nitish Kumar for forming government with the BJP but predicted the masses will abandon him in the next elections.
“Laluji ke naam par vote hai aur satta koi aur ke pas hai,” she rued, assuring all support to the RJD chief.
She recalled she indeed had joined the oath-taking ceremony of Nitish Kumar in the past but clarified, “I had come not for Nitish but for the people of Bihar”.
‘Nitish stabbed us in the back, teach him a lesson,’ Tejashwi
Tejahswi Yadav today attacked chief minister Nitish Kumar for “disgracing” the people’s mandate and stabbing the Grand Alliance in the back by joining the BJP camp.
“He (Nitish Kumar) not only robbed our votes, disgraced the people’s mandate but also robbed state’s exchequer,” Tejashwi alleged addressing party’s “BJP Bhagao, Desh Bhagao” rally at Patna’s Gandhi Maidan today.
He alleged the chief minister walked with the BJP to hide his involvement in the Srijan scam.
He accused the chief minister of ditching his party colleagues, such as George Fernandes, Digvijay Singh, Sharad Yadav and finally Grand Alliance leaders.
Tejashwi exhorted the masses to teach a lesson to the Narendra Modi-Nitish Kumar combine in the next elections and save the country.
“We will not rest idle until we drive them out from thrones in Bihar and Delhi,” he vowed
He also described Shard Yadav-led JD-U faction as the real JD-U.
“Nitish Kumar may have walked with the BJP but the Grand Alliance still exists as the real JD-U led by Sharadji is still with us,” he announced.