Describing his wife Rabri Devi as “nari nahin chingari hai” (not a woman, but a spark of fire), RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav on Tuesday brashly dared both Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar and deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi to contest against her in the two seats she is set to contest.
In an effort to neutralise the ruling JD(U)-BJP’s ridicule at the RJD’s decision to field former chief minister Rabri Devi in two constituencies — Raghopur and Sonepur — Mr Yadav threw an open challenge at the two leading men in the two parties. After Mr Yadav announced his plans to field Ms Devi in two seats on Monday, Mr Modi had said she would be badly defeated in both constituencies.
Employing words and phrases in Hindi that many considered to be in low taste, Mr Yadav said, “Rabri Devi is contesting in two seats. If Nitish Kumar and Sushil Modi have confidence in themselves, they must come forward to contest against her in both the seats. Hai koi maai ka laal toh aa jaao! (If there is a real man, come on!)”.
“Does anyone think Rabri Devi is weak? Rabri Devi is not a woman, but a spark of fire. Himmat hai toh aao! (Come forward if you have confidence),” said Mr Yadav at a news conference at the Maurya Hotel in Patna, which he has chosen as the venue for his media interactions for the past two days as the RJD’s state headquarters have witnessed frequent violent demonstrations by the party’s angry workers. Policemen and a riot-control vehicle were stationed near the RJD office throughout Tuesday.
The ruling NDA has been describing Ms Devi’s eight years as chief minister — from 1997 to 2005 — as far worse than her husband’s previous seven years in power. Ms Devi visited the Assembly only a few times during her entire tenure, spoke little and faced endless charges of working under the shadow of her husband and her two politician brothers.