Rebel JD-U leader Sharad Yadav on Sunday shared a stage for the first time with RJD chief Lalu Prasad at an anti-BJP rally, ignoring the JD-U's warning not to attend it. Sharad Yadav, a former Janata Dal-United President, joined the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) at its "Desh Bachao, BJP Bhagao" rally at Gandhi Maidan here. JD-U leaders including General Secretary K.C. Tyagi and party spokesperson Neeraj Kumar declared that Sharad Yadav has now joined hands with the corrupt and that the JD-U led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will act against him.
Sharad Yadav was warmly welcomed by Lalu Prasad when he reached the stage. A smiling Lalu Prasad shook hands with and hugged Sharad Yadav before the huge gathering. Trinamool Congress chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav and senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad also attended the rally.
C.P. Joshi of the Congress, NCP's Tarique Anwar, RLD's Choudhary Jayant Singh, CPI's Sudhakar Reddy, former Jharkhand Chief Ministers Hemant Soren of JMM, Babulal Marandi of the JVM, AIUDF leader Baadruddin Azmal and leaders from the DMK, JD-S and RSP also attended the rally. Also present at the rally were Lalu Prasad's younger son and former Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, his elder son Tej Pratap Yadav, his wife and former Chief Minister Rabri Devi and their daughter Misa Bharti.
As it happened:
04:57 pm: Murder kiya gaya hai badh laya hai: Lalu Yadav
04:56 pm: Bihar ki chingari pure desh mein jayegi: Lalu Yadav
04:55 pm: Mandal (Srijan scam accused) ko le ja ke aspatal mein maar diya: Lalu Yadav
04:53 pm: Fansi pe chadh jayenge magar BJP ke sath samjhauta nahi karenge (We'll die but will not go with the BJP): Lalu Yadav
04:52 pm: All the cases have been lodged to to scare us: Lalu Yadav
04:51 pm: Ye aadmi (Nitish) sach much mein paltu ram hai: Lalu Yadav
04:50 pm: Sharab ghar ghar mil raha magar revenue chala gay (Liquor can be found in every house in Bihar but we have lost all revenue): Lalu Yadav
04:46 pm: We demand that the CBI inquiry in Srijan scam must be monitored by Supreme Court or High Court: Lalu Yadav
04:45 pm: Sushil Modi ko maloom tha, say Lalu Yadav on Srijan scam
04:42 pm: Bolte the sangh-mukt Bharat banana hai, sangh ki godd mein ja ke gir gaye: Lalu Yadav
04:39 pm: If Nitish Kumar had supported Meira Kumar, a Bihar ki beti would have become the President: Lalu Yadav
04:38 pm: Daliton ke liye inke mann mein nafrat hai (He has hatred for Dalits), Lalu Yadav says on Nitish Kumar
04:17 pm: I want to tell those who broke the alliance in Bihar, we will form an alliance of 125 crore people in India: Sharad Yadav
04:06 pm: Bihar Congress President Dr Ashok Chaudhary reads out the speech of Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi at the rally
04:05 pm:
03:50 pm: The participation of youths is indication that there is huge a resentment among them, tweets Lalu Prasad Yadav.
03:47 pm: Can anyone count stars in sky? Same is in Patna, no one can count lakhs of lacs people gathered in RJD rally, tweets Tejashwi Yadav
3:00 pm:
2:58 pm:
2:55 pm: All leaders of national parties are with Lalu Prasad Yadav, says Congress' Ghulam Nabi Azad
2:52 pm: Ghulam Nabi Azad addresses the rally
2:50 pm:
2:30 pm: We want to make India a country of youngsters and farmers: Akhilesh Yadav
2:28 pm: We all have to work together to save the country, says Akhilesh Yadav
2:25 pm: BJP is a digital party and they should watch the strength of the rally, says Akhilesh Yadav while addressing the rally
2:10 pm:
1:58 pm:
1:41pm: Nitish Kumar is a political turncoat who is hungry for power, says Tejashwi
1:40 pm:
1:35 pm: Nitish has insulted the mandate given by the people of Bihar, says Tejashwi Yadav
1:30 pm: Tejaswi Yadav says Nitish was like an uncle and will always be. He thanks people for coming in large number despite the floods in the state.
1:00 pm: Shivanand Tiwari, RJD national vice president, asked Bihar CM Nitish Kumar to explain to people as to why he left the grand alliance.
12:50 pm: K C Tyagi says Sharad Yadav attending the rally is disappointing. JD(U)'s disciplinary committee will take a decision.
12:41 pm:
12:20 pm: Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav also shares the dias with Sharad Yadav and Lalu Yadav.
12:12 pm:
12:02 pm:
10:10 am:
10:00 am: This rally is to cover up the corruption allegation leveled against Lalu Yadav and his family. This rally does not have any political agenda or policy: JD(U) leader K C Tyagi
7:30 am:
