Patna, June 19 (IANS) A crucial meeting of the State Council of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) was held on Thursday at Gyan Bhawan, Patna, under the chairmanship of RJD National President Lalu Prasad Yadav.

The meeting turned into a powerful show of unity and assertion as senior leaders including former Chief Minister Rabri Devi and Leader of Opposition (LoP) Tejashwi Yadav addressed the party cadre and took strong jabs at the ruling NDA government in Bihar.

In a fiery speech, Rabri Devi rebutted the frequent accusations of ‘Jungle Raj’ against the RJD’s tenure, stating: “This is not ‘Jungle Raj’ anymore, this is ‘Rakshasa Raj’. People are being murdered in their homes, daughters are being raped.”

Targeting Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, she said: “What does someone who lives alone know about family? Our family is Bihar.”

Rabri also congratulated Mangani Lal Mandal on being appointed as the new State President of the RJD, praising Tejashwi Yadav for leading the party forward and urged party workers to unite and work hard for the upcoming elections.

Rabri Devi also took aim at the Centre over its welfare schemes.

“When PM Modi comes to Bihar, he says ‘5 kg of grains will be given’. I ask, will 5 kg of grains last a month for a family? It’s like a drop in the ocean,” she said.

She alleged that the NDA government, despite being in power in Bihar for two decades, has done nothing substantial for the poor.

“This is not a government for the poor. It is cheating the people of Bihar,” Rabri Devi said.

She called on party workers to unite across caste and community lines, asserting, “There is no caste that has not been given representation in our party. In the coming elections, we must take everyone — all castes, all religions — together.”

She defended her son LoP Tejashwi from repeated personal attacks in the media.

“Even when Tejashwi eats sattu, he is mocked. Let them say what they want. The truth will come out in time,” she said.

During the occasion, Mangani Lal Mandal, the newly-appointed RJD state President, Abdul Bari Siddiqui, senior leader, Ramchandra Purve, party veteran Sunil Singh and other top RJD leaders were present.

–IANS

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