Bihar CM Nitish Kumar addressing a poll rally
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar lost his cool during an election rally on Wednesday when a section of the crowd raised "Lalu Zindabad" slogans. A visibly irate CM could be seen stopping his speech midway to take on those in the crowd shouting slogans in support of the jailed Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) president.
"Kya bol rahe ho, kya bol rahe ho, kya bol rahe ho (What are you saying)," a furious Nitish Kumar shouted as he halted his speech midway. The chief minister was canvassing at Derni in Parsa assembly constituency in Saran district for Chandrika Rai, a long-time RJD leader and Lalu Yadav aide who had crossed over to the ruling JD(U) recently.
"Zara hathwa uthao, kahe ko anaap shanaap bol rahe ho (Raise your hand, why are you talking nonsense)," an agitated Nitish Kumar said. After a brief silence, someone from the crowd yelled "chara chor hain sab, chara chor" (fodder chief), in a reference to Lalu Prasad Yadav who has been convicted in four fodder scam cases.
"Don't do halla (chaos) here. If you don't want to vote for me, then don't...The reason you came here...you will destroy the votes of the man for whom you are here," Nitish admonished the demonstrators.
Nitish then raked up the issue of alleged misbehaviour with Aishwarya Rai, the estranged wife of RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav's elder son Tej Pratap and Chandrika Rai's daughter. "Those who misbehaved with her would see how dangerous can be the consequence of ill-treating a woman. Look at what kind of ill-treatment was meted out to an educated girl," the chief minister remarked.
Bihar will go to polls in three-phase between October 28 and November 7. The results will be declared on November 10.
