Lalu Prasad Yadav says my writ runs large even in jail, mid-term poll will happen in 2018

RJD president Lalu Prasad Yadav may be out of electoral contests but he is not away from politics. In his own inimitable style, Lalu Prasad Yadav predicted an early election to the Lok Sabha.

Hitting out at his opponents, Lalu Prasad said that attempts were being made "to scare me away" but "my writ runs large even in jail."

Lalu Prasad said, "An astrologer has said that PM Modi will not complete his term till 2019. This government will not last long because he took oath at an inauspicious moment. That was neither the daytime nor night."

"Hiranyakashyapu (a demon king mentioned in Puranic scriptures who was slain by Lord Vishnu) was killed in the similar bela (arrangement of stars). It was because of inauspicious timing of his (PM Modi's) swearing in that so many inauspicious incidents have happened thereafter," Lalu Prasad Yadav said.

The RJD president was speaking at the national executive of the party in Patna today. He was accompanied by former revenue sales tax officer and astrologer Shankar Charan Tripathi, who was recently made the spokesperson of the RJD.

"Whenever PM Modi goes to polls, in 2018 or 2019, his rout is definite," Lalu Prasad said. He also lashed out at Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar calling him "paltu ram" (one who switches sides out of habit). Lalu Prasad challenged Nitish Kumar to hold election to Bihar Assembly along with the Lok Sabha polls.

"MY WRIT RUNS LARGE IN JAIL"

Responding to multiple raids by various central government agencies on the offices, residences and properties of his family members in recent months, Lalu Prasad Yadav said, "Attempts are being made to scare me away. Cases are being registered against me and my family members in order to cow down us. They want me to go to jail so that they can win election."

"Even if Lalu Prasad Yadav is banished to the mountains, it will make no difference. Lalu's writ runs large even in jail," the RJD supremo said.

Accusing the Modi government of indulging in vendetta politics, he said, "Whose properties Lalu Yadav, Mayawati, Mamata (Banerjee), Mulayam (Singh Yadav) and Akhilesh (Yadav) have stolen that the agencies are after us. We are not the ones who get scared."

"WORSE THAN EMERGENCY"

Taking another swipe at the Narendra Modi government, Lalu Prasad Yadav said that the current circumstances in the country were worse than those prevailing during emergency.

"Situation is worse than Indira Gandhi's emergency. Media is not free. Earlier, people were scared of tiger. Now, they fear cow," Lalu Prasad said.

Lalu Prasad further said, "Throw the Muslims out, if you have the guts... If someone is having children (responding to rising population of Muslims), why they are getting jealous about it, and these humbugs remain celibate till 60 years of age."

ON GUJARAT ELECTION

On Gujarat election, Lalu Prasad said that "yaduvanshis" must hand over a humiliating defeat to PM Narendra Modi.

"I spoke to Hardik Patel. He told me that he was in contact with Tejashwi Yadav and Misa Bharti. Harik's character assassination is being done," Lalu Prasad said.

Slamming Nitish Kumar for fielding JD-U candidates in Gujarat election, Lalu Prasad said, "They did not fight election in Uttar Pradesh. But, they are contesting in Gujarat with the sole aim of cutting into the vote base of Patels. If they want to contest, they should do so on BJP's tickets."