Magician, hypnotiser, bad omen, biggest liar... These are some of the more colourful epithets currently being used by RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav to describe his arch rival and Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar.
Increasing personal attacks by Yadav on Kumar is almost turning Bihar’s upcoming electoral battle into a personal clash between the two stalwarts.
An unusually animated Mr Yadav, speaking at an RJD ceremony held to induct leaders from various parties on Sunday, unleashed a series of diatribes against Mr Kumar that conjured up images of the two political rivals bracing for a fight to the finish. It was the humour typically laced with Mr Yadav’s words that saved his jibes from sounding too hurtful.
“This matchless chief minister of yours, flattered by the media for his good governance, is a magician like those who can turn pigeons into mice and vice versa. He has been a hypnotiser. But with his matchless corruption already exposed and the elections being held, he will be known for what he really is,” said Mr Yadav as hundreds of his supporters shouted “Lalu Yadav zindabad”.
Mr Yadav, known for his accessibility to the common man, mocked at the perceived restrictions around Kumar’s residence. “For five years, he (Kumar) kept the gates of his house closed, but now he has opened them. The horns of vehicles reaching there have made my sleep difficult. If he is teasing me with such noise, I will teach him a lesson,” said Mr Yadav, who lives close to Mr Kumar’s residence.
“I know what he (Kumar) is doing. Even when he cooks meat or fish, I get to know because we also have our CID at his house,” said Mr Yadav, adding the RJD has kept track of the corruption during Kumar’s tenure. “We will send all the corrupt people to jail. Do not worry. Our government is being formed,” he said.
Mr Yadav also repeated his harshest and perhaps most unreasonable taunt that describes Kumar as inauspicious for Bihar. “Nitish Kumar is bad omen for Bihar. Ever since he came to power, the state has seen floods and droughts,” said the RJD chief.