Lalu-Rabri rule was not jungle raj, says Manjhi

Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi Tuesday said that there was no 'jungle raj' during the rule of RJD chief Lalu Prasad and later of his wife Rabri Devi in the state.

"It is baseless and nonsense to describe tenure of Lalu and Rabri as jungle raj. There was nothing like it," Manjhi told media persons here in response to BJP leaders describing the Lalu-Rabri rule from 1990 to 2005 as jungle raj.

Manjhi, who did not name any BJP leader, said it was Lalu Prasad who provided political representation to weaker sections and marginalised people in a democratic set-up.

"To say that Lalu-Rabri's rule was a jungle raj is an insult to democracy," Manjhi said.

Early this month Lalu Prasad and Nitish Kumar came together at an election rally in Hajipur assembly constituency for the first time in two decades. The RJD, the JD-U and the Congress have formed an alliance against the BJP-led alliance in Bihar for assembly by-elections.

Ten assembly seats in Bihar will go for by-elections Aug 21.

During the ongoing campaign for bypolls, BJP leaders without a let-up caution people against return of jungle raj with Lalu Prasad joining hands with Nitish Kumar.

BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi Monday alleged that the 'Jungle Raj-2' was rapidly gripping the state as borne by incidents of dacoity in running trains.