Lalu Prasad’s daughter and Rashtriya Janata Dal’s star campaigner Misa Bharti wants people to give Nitish Kumar another chance for Bihar’s “economic development”. She said she is preparing for the next Lok Sabha elections and will campaign for the party’s candidates in the coming Assembly elections.
Speaking to The Sunday Guardian at her mother Rabri Devi’s sprawling bungalow at 10, Circular Road here, Misa said she did not mind when her father announced that only a son would be carrying his “political legacy”. Both of Lalu’s sons are contesting the elections — Tejashwi from Raghopur and Tejpratap from Mahua.
“Though legally sons and daughters are equal, the social rule is that once a daughter gets married, she becomes a part of another family. I strongly believe in social values, so there is no question of being upset at the decision,” she said, adding she was honoured by the party as she was given a ticket to contest the Lok Sabha elections from the Patliputra constituency last year.
“I am not contesting elections, but will campaign for my party candidates wherever I am asked to do so. I would also like to work for my party organisation. Though I could not win in the Lok Sabha election last year, I will continue to do the ground work for the next time,” she added.
Misa said her father’s efforts led to social empowerment in Bihar and now the state needed economic empowerment. Bihar witnessed economic development in the past 10 years under Nitish Kumar and this process should continue and, therefore, he should be given another chance, she said.
“We will go to the people with these basic issues and tell them how the RSS is trying to divide society on communal lines,” she said.
Asked about the fear of “jungle raaj” returning, Misa said: “Whenever there is empowerment of the poor, there is bound to be some shor-sharaba (noise). It was the high court which had used that term after which the opposition started using it to describe Laluji’s rule. The elite did not like Laluji’s government as it was pro-poor. But the state has moved on. There is peace and harmony in Bihar and, therefore, no reason to fear.”