With the campaign for Bihar by-elections on 10 seats to be held on August 21 getting shriller, leaders of various political parties are introducing and addressing each other with interesting pseudonyms and puns so much so that people of the State are having full time entertainment of their political lexicon.
At the recent Chapra rally, the most colourful political master of the State, RJD chief lalu Prasad used his rustic wit to entertain the gathering and said that the BJP and the RSS were like Mohini Mantra (hypnotic) and Gogia Pasha (the magician). “They are like Mohini Mantra and Gogia Pasha trying to take out khargosh (rabbit) from their hat but this time all they would catch will be a chhuha (rat),” said lalu and the audience fell into laughter.
Earlier, while referring to lJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan’s switch to the NDA. lalu had introduced him at his public rallies as greatest ‘mausam vaigyanik (weather scientist) who knew well which way to turn at what time. “Woh sabse bade mausam vaigyanik hain … PUSA wala nahi, ISRO wala jo bilkul sahi forecast karta hai mausam ke bare mein,” dubbed lalu to Paswan who during the recent lok Sabha polls had hopped to the NDA instead of UPA.
lalu further took a dig saying it was he who had sent Paswan to Delhi through the Rajya Sabha but when the time came, he sensed the weather and changed the side “leaving me here on the road”. But, soon after this “weathercock” address to his father, Chirag Paswan, son of Ram Vilas Paswan hit back at lalu saying he was just a “retired comedian”.
“My uncle lalu Prasad often comes up with such rustic one liners and jokes but he must know now that today he is just a retired comedian and nothing else,” shot back Chirag, lJP MP from Jamui. The master politician of wit and pun, lalu, was quick to retort. “Ab chuja sikhaye murgi ko ki chun-chun aise aise kar (now chick will teach hen how to speak)”.
However, senior Paswan too did not lag behind and responded to lalu in the same coin. “Instead of calling me a weathercock lalu should explain why he had to join forces with Nitish Kumar whom he had been denouncing with the choicest words for past 20 years,” Paswan asked. The lJP chief has something other to lob. “lalu Prasad is an expired medicine while Nitish Kumar is Ranchor Prasad (a man who flees from battle field).
Ram Vilas Paswan, though, also cautioned lalu to refrain from going “below the belt” otherwise it would cost him more. Meanwhile, on lalu joining hands with Nitish after nearly 20 years of their biter rivalry, the BJP leaders of the State too took potshot on him. “Its not a gathbandhan (alliance) but a lathbandhan (alliance of stick) or rather, thugbandhan (alliance of thugs),” said senior State BJP leader Nand Kishore Yadav.
Here too lalu had a quick repartee. “My alliance with Nitish is like ghee (pure butter) whose ladoo (sweets) are good enough even without any shape”. “Yeh janam-janam ka saath hai aur ab yeh mandal ka train kamandal ko derail kar dega", boasted lalu.
But, another senior State BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi disagreed and dubbed the alliance as ‘Jungle Raj-2’. “It will be a sequel to the Jungle Raj-1 of 15 years which the NDA had dislodged after much difficulty and pain,” said Modi.
However, former Chief Minister Nitish Kumar explained the alliance in other way. “This alliance between us has been forged as a medicine to cut the venom of hatred spread by the BJP in the society,” said Nitish who of late has been dubbed by the State BJP leaders as “rank opportunist” of Bihar politics.
Nevertheless, Congress leader and Bihar in-charge CP Joshi, who recently campaigned in the State along with lalu and Nitish, saw the alliance as a divine alliance. “Its like a divine jodi of Ram and lakshman which will develop Bihar,” commented Joshi. Meanwhile, the word arrows between the leaders are expected to become shriller and sharper as the poll dates are approaching fast.