By Shashwat Bhandari

Copyright timesnownews

Patna: Bihar is set for Assembly elections this fall, with polling dates to be announced by the Election Commission in the next few days. As the nation’s political focus shifts towards one of the high-stakes elections, let’s deep dive into an interesting chapter in Bihar politics when Lalu Prasad Yadav handed over the Chief Minister’s chair to his wife, Rabri Devi. Former Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav was accused in the Fodder Scam and knew he might have to go to jail. Brainstorming on how to handle the situation, as his power, party, and command over the state were at stake, handed over the baton to his wife. Lalu couldn’t have handed over the Chief Ministership to any other party member, as that would have risked his control over the party. July 24, 1997, 10 PM: Lalu Yadav Drops ‘Bombshell’ on His Wife Rabri Devi It was July 24, 1997, when Lalu Yadav went to his wife Rabri Devi and informed her, saying, “Listen, tomorrow you have to take oath as Chief Minister of Bihar.” This news came as nothing less than a shock for her. She had dedicated her life to taking care of her family and children, and hearing that she had to take oath as Chief Minister the next day, turned her life upside down. She cried a lot. Realising that she couldn’t avoid the situation, Rabri Devi was told by Lalu Yadav, “There is no point in crying. I’m not going to jail for the first time. You know that. And now, along with taking care of the children, you have to take care of all of Bihar, they are all your kids.” Rabri knew that central forces had surrounded them and there was nowhere to escape. The next day, she took oath as Bihar Chief Minister, and politics in the state changed forever. Rabri Devi Was Born in a Wealthy Family Rabri Devi was born in 1955 in Selar Kala village of Gopalganj district. Her family was well-off and she spent her childhood in a two-storey house. Her father, Shivprasad Chaudhary, was a contractor, and Rabri was his third of seven children. Since her school was quite far from home, she could only study up to the fifth standard. When she turned 18, her father started looking for a groom. The village chief said that there was a boy in Phulwaria who was studying in Patna. In a TV show, Rabri Devi revealed the story around her marriage and informed that her maternal uncle told her father that the boy he had shortlisted did not own a house. Since Rabri was born in a well-to-do family, she should be married into a household of similar status. But by then, her father had already made up his mind. In 1973’s Basant Panchami, Rabri was married to 17-year-old Lalu Yadav, who came wearing a yellow kurta-pajama and a hat. Senior journalist Santosh Singh writes, “Shivprasad Chaudhary could have decided to marry Rabri into a wealthy family if he wanted, but he was impressed by Lalu’s intelligence, physique, and education.” By that time, Lalu was being discussed in political corridors. Chaudhary gave Lalu five bighas (5 Acres) of land and five cows as dowry. Before becoming the Chief Minister, the couple lived in the servant’s quarters of Patna Veterinary College. Not only this, when Lalu Yadav became the Chief Minister of Bihar for the first time in 1990, he was allotted a Chief Minister’s residence, yet he continued living in the quarter for at least four months. Once a journalist asked Rabri, “Lalu ji has got such a big bungalow, why do you still live here?” Rabri replied, “I’m used to living here, it feels good.” Rabri Devi Took Oath as Bihar CM on July 25, 1997, for the First but Not Last Time On July 25, Rabri Devi was sworn in as Chief Minister by the then Governor AR Kidwai. Rabri, who had only studied till class 5, stumbled while taking the oath multiple times. During the oath ceremony and her initial days in politics, Rabri Devi became the subject of trolls and was continuously mocked by opponents, who did not know she had come for a bigger inning than expected. Rabri Devi served as Bihar CM three times, from 1997 to 2005. However, this was the same period when the state witnessed more than a dozen massacres, a rise in crime and corruption, and earned its infamous title of ‘Jungle Raj’. When Rabri Devi Became Bihar CM On June 23, 1997, the CBI filed a chargesheet against Lalu Yadav. By the evening of July 24, central forces had surrounded Lalu’s Chief Minister’s residence. Lalu realised that arrest was imminent. Governor Kidwai also made it clear that Lalu Yadav could no longer remain CM. The news reached the BJP office in Patna. Others, including late BJP leader Sushil Modi, were very happy. On July 24, Lalu Yadav brainstormed the entire day, clueless about what to do next. During this time, Congress leader Radhanandan Jha came to his rescue and advised him to make his wife the next Chief Minister. It is said that whenever Lalu Yadav got into trouble, he sought help from senior Congress leader Radhanandan Jha. He did the same this time. Jha advised him to hand over the keys of power to his wife. Lalu Yadav agreed. Senior journalist Anuranjan Jha writes in his book Gandhi Maidan: ‘Bluff of Social Justice’ that that night, Lalu called Congress president Sitaram Kesari and asked, “Kesari ji! We are making Rabri ji the Chief Minister. Will you support us? Whatever you ask for in return will be accepted.” On July 25, a meeting of the legislators was held at Lalu’s house at 2:30 PM. Rabri took oath as Chief Minister at 5 PM. The Congress gave support from outside but made all its 29 MLAs ministers. When Opposition Laughed at Rabri Devi in State Assembly in Presence of Lalu Yadav On July 28, 1997, during a confidence motion in the Bihar Assembly, Rabri Devi, who was wearing a pink saree, faced difficulty in reading the proposal and was mocked by Opposition leaders including Sushil Modi. Hearing this, Rabri Devi immediately stood up, smiled, and said, “I have always considered you my elder brother.” After this, Sushil Modi said, “Please take that criminal from the Chief Minister’s residence.” To this, Rabri replied, “I will send him to your house.” Lalu Yadav was also present in the Assembly at that time. He raised both hands in surprise. The whole meeting was filled with laughter. Santosh Singh’s book ‘Ruled or Misruled’ mentions that Chief Minister Rabri Devi had difficulty in reading and writing. She couldn’t write anything on the files. Whatever she used to say was written by OSD officials and added to the files. Rabri, however, quickly understood the game and used to take Lalu’s advice whenever she faced any hurdle. On the other hand, sitting in jail, Lalu Yadav used to give his opinions to Rabri Devi for governance and administration, and she would follow them. It was during this time that the opposition started calling it a ‘rubber-stamp’ government. When RJD’s Rule Became Synonym for Jungle Raj While Rabri Devi was serving as Chief Minister, following her husband’s words, the state fell into the grip of her two brothers, Sadhu and Subhash, and crime became rampant. Anuranjan Jha, in his book ‘Gandhi Maidan: The Bluff of Social Justice’, writes, “Under Rabri’s nose, her own party leaders were committing all kinds of evil deeds with the cooperation of Sadhu and Subhash. Incidents like massacre, kidnapping, murder, rape, theft, and robbery became common in the state. Bribery and scams were at their peak.” On August 5, 1997, while hearing a case, a bench of Justices VP Singh and Dharmapal Sinha of the Patna High Court said, “There is no such thing as government in Bihar. This is Jungle Raj. Corrupt officials are running the administration.” While taking care of her family, Rabri Devi gradually learned to handle the responsibilities of the Chief Minister. On March 9, 1999, she took oath as Chief Minister for the second time. Her third term was the longest. She was the Chief Minister of Bihar from March 11, 2000, to March 6, 2005.