RJD supporters paint Patna green for Lalu rally

Ignoring the scorching mid-May heat, hundreds of thousands of people arrived in the Bihar capital Wednesday for Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad's Parivartan Rally -- the second after he was ousted from power in 2005.

Green, the RJD's official colour, appeared to be the colour of the day. RJD workers, sporting green caps and holding green flags and banners, put up hundreds of welcome arches and hoardings in the party colour.

All roads leading to the historic Gandhi maidan, the venue of the rally, had been crowded since Tuesday night with RJD supporters.

"Lalu's party workers and supporters have literally painted Patna green with green flags, green caps and green banners," a district police official said.

"RJD's green billboards and graffiti are visible everywhere in Patna," said Shakti Rai, a daily wage labourer who arrived here early Wednesday from Siwan district to attend the rally.

Mustafa Ali, another Lalu Prasad supporter who came from West Champaran, appeared equally happy that the party's colour had taken over important destinations like the Gandhi Maidan, Dak Bungalow Square, Boring Road and the Station Square.

"Lalu is still a force. No one can write him off. He will bounce back in the next polls," Ali said.

The RJD hired 13 special trains to ferry workers and supporters to Patna for the rally. Besides, supporters from across the state came in hundreds of buses, cars and other vehicles.

Over the past week, the RJD chief and his top party leaders have been busy mobilising supporters to reach Patna for the rally. Lalu Prasad's two sons Tejasvi Yadav and Tej Pratap also campaigned day and night for the rally.