Book: Gopalganj to Raisina: My Political Journey
Author: Lalu Prasad Yadav, Nalin Verma
Publisher: Rupa
Pages: 214;
Price: Rs 500
He is unsure about his exact date of birth and even today remains convinced that the one printed on his school certificate is not the correct one. His mother did not even remember whether he was born during daytime or after sunset. Nevertheless, in the years to come he emerged as one of the brightest star of Indian politics and continues to be so even behind bars. Lalu Prasad Yadav…bass naam hi kafi hai.
Even before I started reading the book, I could not resist myself from browsing through several rare collections of photographs that encompass the life of Lalu Prasad, a product of JP revolution. On the right hand side of page 72 is his first ever photograph as a student of Miller High School in Patna (1964-65) and somewhere at the end of the book is his photograph having dahi-chuda on a Makar Sankranti day at one, Anne Marg. In between these two photographs, lies the journey of India’s most colourful political leader, who from being a favourite among girls during his college days turned out to be every caricaturists and cartoonists favoutire figure on board.
Lalu, known for his people connect oratory and never mincing words while attacking political opponents, has been equally open about sharing some unknown or otherwise misunderstood episodes of his personal as well as political life. Every chapter brings in so many untold or unheard stories of this towering personality.
News of Rabri Devi’s first pregnancy came when Lalu was a prisoner under MISA (Maintenance of Internal Security Act) and his first baby was born on May 22, 1975. Since he was booked under MISA and was out on parole to attend to his wife and the newborn, his political idol and mentor Jayaprakash Narayan suggested that he name his daughter Misa. Thus, his firstborn was named Misa Bharati. Wow! I did not know that.
Reporters have often asked Lalu about his oratory style that matches to that of poorest of the poor in society and he has always told them that since he was and brought up amidst them it comes naturally to him. Every reader will be able to connect to this fact while reading the book.
Those who are aware and have been intellectually updated during those political decades are bound to get much required fodder in chapters like Politics of Mandal, Mandir and Masjid and The Conspiracy and Conviction. Lalu has openly spoken about before and after the arrest of senior BJP leader L K Advani during Rath Yatra and later a media speculated conspiracy of an attempt to poison Advani through food.
Undoubtedly, Lalu has been the best Union Minister for Railways and his experiment with kulhars (clay cups) really caught the attention of several policy makers and commentators. One can understand the story behind a complete turnaround of Indian Railways from bankruptcy to billions in Lalu’s own written words through this book.
After the Apex Court recently rejected his bail plea ahead of the crucial 2019 polls, Lalu who is convicted in fodder scam has mentioned in the book that living a confined life he has resorted to reading newspapers and books. Belonging to Yaduvanshi clan of Lord Krishna, he has been reading Mahabharata in an attempt to understand the life and teachings of Lord Krishna. What inspires him the most about Lord Krishna is that he neutralised the demon king and tyrant, Kansa after coming out of the prison.
As I place this book on the topmost rack of my bookshelf, I wonder was Lalu referring himself to be the modern day Lord Krishna who is waiting to come out of the prison? And if that is true, then who is the present day demon King whom he wants to neutralise politically? Take a guess…it’s an obvious one.
