RJD's 'jungle raj' eyeing return in new form: Amit Shah at Bhagalpur rally

Patna, Nov 7 (IANS) Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday tore into the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and warned the people of the return of "jungle raj", if Lalu Yadav's party-led Grand Alliance (Mahagathbandhan) returns to power in the state.

Amit Shah, addressing a poll rally in Bhagalpur's Pirpainti, said that the "jungle raj" era of RJD may have been relegated to the margins for years now, but it was raring for a comeback in a new form and shape and warned people not to fall for "lofty and populist" promises of the Mahagathbandhan.

"Your one vote will strengthen them and will add to their efforts to bring back jungle raj," HM Shah said, slamming the RJD-Cong combine.

He also called out the "tainted" record of Mahagathbandhan leaders (Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav) and claimed that their guardians were eager to get their wards seated in positions of power.

"They engage in corruption; we engage in development. Lalu ji wants to make his son the Chief Minister and Sonia ji wants to make her son the Prime Minister," he said.

"But listen to my words with your ears wide open, neither Rahul will become the Prime Minister nor Tejashwi will be able to become the Chief Minister. Because Modi ji is in Delhi and Nitish Kumar ji is in Bihar," he added.

The Home Minister also drew a contrast between the 'jungle raj' of the RJD era and the 'sushashan' under the Nitish government, listing several schemes and programmes launched by the double-engine government to empower the poor and farming class.

"We have established the Makahana Board. Along with power plants, the Barauni plant has been revived, and some sugar mills have also been revived," he said.

He also reiterated the Centre's pledge to set up sugar mills in the areas of the state with adequate water levels.

"People of Bhagalpur, wherever there is water, the Modi government will start the work of operating 25 new sugar mills," he said.

--IANS

mr/svn