No cakewalk for Lalu

The concern among Lalu’s supporters is symptomatic. Despite bringing a wheel and coach factory and giving jobs to hundreds from his constituency,Chhapra (Saran after delimitation),the RJD chief finds the going tough to secure a second-term from his turf.

For the last few days,he has been returning home around midnight after gruelling road journeys and copter rides reaching out to voters in remote corners with the plea: “Koi galti ho gaya ho to bhula dijiye. Bhagwan se galti ho jaati hai. Aur hum to insaan hain (if I have committed any mistake please forgive me. Even God commits mistake. I am only a human being).”

Pitted against the BJP’s youth face,Rajiv Pratap Rudy,Lalu finds to his dismay that it won’t be a cakewalk this time. For,in the fray in Saran are potential spoilers too. The BSP has fielded Salim Pervez,who is allegedly using his money power to the hilt while a strong Independent Yadav candidate is adding to Lalu’s woes. A section of the Muslims are being swayed by the BSP candidate about his winnability by claiming the support of Dalits.

Traditionally,Saran has seen battlelines drawn between Rajputs and Yadavs,who are evenly poised in terms of population. The delimitation has worked to Lalu’s advantage by adding Yadav-dominated Amnour Assembly segment replacing Rajput-dominated Taraiya. What Lalu is worried about is other castes not rallying behind him.

Previously most backward castes used to side with the militant Yadavs but Nitish Kumar’s social engineering has endeared them to him. The RJD chief’s appeal among the Dalits due to his alliance with LJP’s Ram Vilas Paswan will be offset by the BSP candidate.

Aware of the task at hand,Lalu is trying to hardsell himself as a tall leader who cannot afford to lose at the hands of a “small fry” like Rudy. “My mettle has been recognised globally. I have become an international professor. Rudy told me that he was contesting to tell the world that he lost to Lalu” is his common refrain in meeting after meeting. To counter the Nitish Government’s development plank,he reminds voters about the wheel and coach factory he has brought to the constituency.

After his initial reluctance to campaign for Rudy due to differences with him,Kumar too has hit the campaign trail in Saran. He is taking digs at Lalu over his achievements in the Railway Ministry and his bonhomie with Paswan and urging the electorate to vote for the NDA if they want the pace of development to continue in Bihar.

“The bluff of Lalu’s achievement as Railway Minister will be called. Many are already saying that it will prove to be another Satyam. The work done by my Government is before you and if you want it to continue then vote for us,” he tells the electorate. Initially shaky,Rudy has now gained confidence. “The situation is better than the last time. The credit goes to Nitishji campaigning for me,” says Rudy.

Writing off Lalu yet,however,will be a folly. His skill in snatching victory in adverse circumstances is well known and he is leaving no stone unturned to do exactly that.

Saran,Bihar

Candidates

• Lalu Prasad Yadav (RJD)

• Rajiv Pratap Rudy (BJP)

• Salim Pervez (BSP)

• Lal Babu Rai (Independent)

BACK STORY

2004 Lalu Prasad Yadav,RJD 1999 Rajiv Pratap Rudy,BJP

1998 Hira Lal Rai,RJD)

1996 Rajiv Pratap Rudy,BJP