Addressing the RJD’s first maha railla in Jharkhand today, party chief and former CM Laloo Prasad Yadav played to the gallery yet again. He was upto his old tricks, launching an offensive against the NDA government; calling for a debate on Satyendra Dubey’s murder; praising the Christian missionaries and even chiding partymen for making noise while he spoke.In the city bedecked with his cutouts, party flags and green-coloured gates, Laloo struck an emotional chord when he said: ‘‘I did not come here for the last three years because I was against its (Jharkhand’s) creation.’’In this state where the RJD boasts of having nine MLAs in the 82-member Assembly, the railla was addressed by RJD spokesman Shivanand Tiwari, Bihar Energy Minister Shyam Rajak, RJD’s Jharkhand Legislature party leader Girinath Singh and Laloo himself.Addressing the crowd that mainly comprised Muslims and Yadavs from various parts of the state, the RJD chief said people must guard themselves against communalists like the BJP. Praising the Christian missionaries, he said: ‘‘Our Christian brothers have done good work in spreading education. They have also worked to make good human beings.’’While he took a dig at Jaya Jaitley and Bangaru Laxman in his inimitable style, Laloo ensured that partymen listened while he spoke. Reprimanding them, he said: ‘‘Bina matlab ka bolta hai, anushasanheen hai (You are yelling for no reason .you all are indisciplined).’’Laloo accused the A.B. Vajpayee-led Government of working as per the US diktat. ‘‘How can Vajpayee keep his promise to give one crore jobs when his Government is winding up public sectors in the name of disinvestment under American pressure and retrenchment is still going on in many sectors,’’ he said.‘‘If you want to capture power over Hastinapur (Delhi) and save the country from the misrule of the BJP, pull up your socks.start preparing from now,’’ Laloo told the audience.But even as he thundered, the crowd began to disperse. This probably made him change gear and call off the railla in a huff.Reacting to the railla, former Jharkhand CM Babulal Marandi said it was nothing but a ‘‘political picnic of Laloo who should first save Bihar.”
