FIR against Lalu, Nitish cries ‘law breaker’

PATNA - Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad was Monday booked for violating the model code of conduct for entering a poll booth with his security guards. And political rival Chief Minister Nitish Kumar lost no time in calling him a “habitual law breaker”.

“This (Lalu’s action) violated the model code of conduct as security guards cannot enter the polling booth premises,” a police official said about the first information report (FIR) that had been lodged against Lalu Prasad.

The RJD chief and his wife, former chief minister Rabri Devi, cast their votes at a booth in Patna’s Digha constituency during the fourth phase of the Bihar polls.

“Lalu Yadav is a habitual law breaker, it is an old habit for him and he will not improve,” Nitish Kumar told reporters outside a polling booth in his hometown of Bakhtiyarpur.

“He enjoys breaking the law…neither his speech nor his action can ever be improved,” the Janata Dal-United (JD-U) leader said.

“A system has been formed by the Election Commission for conducting free and fair polls, it should be followed. Breaking the law is not an act of bravery, he (Lalu Prasad) takes pride in it. There is a line of decency for every political party, following it we can strengthen the democracy…he can never change,” Nitish Kumar said.

However, senior RJD leader Ram Kirpal Yadav defended his party chief and said Lalu Prasad was not responsible for the security guards walking with him.

“The police on duty should have stopped the security guards,” he said.

Voting was under way in Monday in the fourth phase of the Bihar assembly elections in 42 constituencies across eight districts, including Patna.