Patna: Lalu Prasad was elected as president of his party, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), for the ninth consecutive term on Sunday. He used the occasion to launch a scathing attack against Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not matching his “high voltage assertions on Pakistan before elections with deeds".

“You (Modi) used to brag about 56 inch chest and asserting that your future government will answer any misadventure from across the border eyeball to eyeball... so how did Pakistani terrorists enter our home in Pathankot and kill our brave soldiers?" Prasad said.

The country is not safe in the hands of BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party), he said, adding secular forces should unite against it (BJP).

Prasad said that after the “stupendous" victory in Bihar, he, along with chief minister Nitish Kumar, would work to unite secular forces across the country to oust BJP from “Hastinapur" (Delhi). He criticized BJP for allegedly trying to create a rift between him and Kumar, saying there is no “difference" between them.

“Senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi raised a hue and cry when I visited IGIMS hospital and talked to civil surgeon of Darbhanga for reinstatement of four mamata (post birth care health official) staff in Darbhanga Medical College and Hospital. Before raising fingers at me, Sushil Modi and BJP should explain in what capacity RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) reviews functioning of the Narendra Modi government," Prasad said.

RJD national election officer Jagdanand Singh announced Prasad’s re-election and handed over a certificate to him at a function at S.K. Memorial hall in Patna.

Prasad has been at the helm of RJD since its inception in 1997 after he broke away from Janata Dal. His wife and former chief minister Rabri Devi greeted him on his re-election by presenting him two roses, much to the glee of shutterbugs. Besides Rabri Devi, RJD vice-president Raghubansh Prasad Singh, his two minister sons Tejaswi Yadav and Tej Pratap Yadav, and a host of ministers of the state and leaders from different states were present at the function. PTI

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