"Laluji got big opportunity, did nothing for Bihar...he has no model for state's progress": Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary

Patna (Bihar) [India], June 28 (ANI): Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary has slammed RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav, saying that he and his party were in power for 15 years in the state but did little for its progress.
In an interview with ANI, Samrat Chaudhary, a senior BJP leader in Bihar, took a dig at Lalu Prasad "social justice" model, saying it means "become a king, bring queen (to power) and then prince and princess" and alleged that the former Chief Minister has "no model for progress of Bihar".
Noting that Lalu Prasad Yadav ruled the state for 15 years - seven years as Chief Minister, and his wife Rabri Devi being the CM for the next eight years - Samrat Chaudhary said the Rashtriya Janata Dal leader failed to capitalise on the huge opportunity.
"Lalu ji got a big opportunity. He was the Chief Minister of Bihar and then there was puppet Chief Minister for 8 years. Even after that, he didn't do anything for Bihar," Chaudhary said.
Janata Dal-United Nitish Kumar has been Chief Minister of Bihar since 2005 except for a small period in between. He was Chief Minister for a very brief period earlier.
Political parties in Bihar are bracing up for the assembly polls later this year. The BJP and NDA have expressed confidence in returning to power in the Bihar assembly polls and have been reminding people of the "RJD misrule".
The NDA leaders have said that Bihar's economy experienced severe stagnation under Lalu Prasad Yadav's rule, with industrial development largely being overlooked. They have said that average GDP growth rate from 2001-2005 was 2.9%, indicating a significant lack of economic progress and that Lalu Yadav's rule was "marred by widespread corruption, including the infamous fodder scam".
This, they say, led to "a lack of accountability in government offices and a paralysis in effective governance".
Samrat Chaudhary lauded Nitish Kumar for "developing Bihar", stating that his development work has had a lasting impact on Bihar.
"Bihar is a state where if you look at an individual's politics, you'll see a changing face. Politics in Bihar keeps rotating, sometimes we're in power, and sometimes in opposition. Why does Lalu ji follow Nitish ji? Nitish Kumar ji has a lasting impact on Bihar," he added.
"They (RJD) say they have social justice, but social justice doesn't mean someone becomes a king. He (Lalu Prasad) came as a son of a poor man and became a king after coming to power. First, the king came, then brought the queen, then brought the prince and princess - this is Lalu ji's concept. There's no model for Bihar's development for him," he added.
Chaudhary said he would not have come to politics if Lalu Prasad had not sent him to jail.
"I would not have entered politics if Lalu Prasad Yadavji had not put me in jail. I would not have entered politics if Lalu Prasadji had not sent 22 members of my family to jail in 1995. I wouldn't have even thought about politics. I fought cases for three years, I must not have killed even a single mosquito...murder cases were filed against me. I've entered politics for purely political reasons - I have entered it due to pain and have struggled. When I was against Nitishji, I used to fight against him; today I'm standing in his support, so the first person standing behind him is Samrat Chaudhary," he said.
Leaders of the BJP, Janata Dal-United and other constituents of the NDA have been reminding people of Bihar of "jungle raj" under Lalu Prasad, saying there was a significant neglect of infrastructure, including roads, electricity, healthcare, and education.
They have alleged that public services virtually collapsed under the RJD rule, making life particularly difficult in rural areas, and a lack of opportunities had forced millions to migrate to other states in search of a livelihood.
They have alleged that government hospitals lacked basic facilities during RJD rule, while schools struggled with underpaid teachers, there was "cheating in exams", and there were incidents of "kidnappings, caste-based violence, and extortion".
RJD leaders, on their part, have said that people will vote for change in Bihar polls and that the state continues to face problems of poverty and unemployment.
While the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is seeking to retain power, the INDIA bloc, which includes the RJD and Congress, is seeking to oust it. Jan Suraaj, led by Prashant Kishor, is also seeking the mandate of the people. (ANI)