Lalu follows Mayawati, tries to build a rainbow caste alliance

In an attempt to expand his base among the voters in Bihar, Rashtriya Janata Dal president Lalu Prasad Yadav today appeared to follow in the footsteps of BSP supremo Mayawati by trying to build a rainbow alliance comprising of Yadavs, Muslims, Dalits, and uppercastes like Kayasthas and Bhumihars.

Patna, Oct 28 : In an attempt to expand his base among the voters in Bihar, Rashtriya Janata Dal president Lalu Prasad Yadav today appeared to follow in the footsteps of BSP supremo Mayawati by trying to build a rainbow alliance comprising of Yadavs, Muslims, Dalits, and uppercastes like Kayasthas and Bhumihars.

At a mammoth rally here at the historic Gandhi Maidan today, Lalu said that the rally was not for Yadavs only but it was equally for Dalits, Muslims, Other Backwards Castes and upper castes.

He thanked the Kayastha Samaj and Brahmrishi Samaj, which is a group representing Bhumihars in Bihar, for attending the rally in great strength.

He said that his party favours reservation of jobs based on economic criteria for which he is ready for Constitutional amendment, and added that the new reservations would not in any way affect the existing reservations given to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and OBCs.

With a teeming population occupying every nook and corner of the ground, Lalu launched a vitriolic attack against Bihar and Gujarat Chief Ministers- Nitish Kumar and Narendra Modi respectively.

Stating that Nitish Kumar was sitting in the "lap of communal forces", Lalu challenged him to show the development work that he has carried out in the State.

The RJD president, who launched the public rally titled 'Chaitavani or Warning rally for the first time after losing power in the State, today presented before the public a 27-point 'chargesheet against the Nitish Kumar government.

''The NDA government has cheated the people. The state government is on a promise-making spree but has failed to live up to the people's expectations,'' he said, adding, "If you (Nitish) have any shame then tell us what have you done for the development and progress of Bihar? The path that you have chosen will lead us to a deep precipice."

The chargesheet alleges Nitish going on a 'pleasure trip' to Mauritius at a time when floods wreaked havoc in the State. It also questions Nitish's promise of improving law and order in the State and refers to recent incidents of lynching of ten people belonging to lower caste in Vaishali, gouging-out of the eyes of some youth suspected to be thieves in Nawada and the infamous policeman of Bhagalpur who dragged a suspected thief with his motorcycle.

The Railway Minister also made a scathing attack against Narendra Modi and demanded his immediate arrest under Section 302 in the wake of recent Tehelka expose.

Refuting allegations that he misused the rail services to bring his supporters to the rally, Lalu quipped that his supporters came here using different modes of transportation, including bullock carts and rickshaws.

ANI