'Laluji is resting for some time, but he will surely act on his commitment and tour the entire nation to unite all the secular forces.'
'The Mahagatbandhan will work together to make the women of Bihar safe and secure.'
Former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi speaks to Prasanna D Zore/Rediff.com
To think of Rabri Devi as the mother of two sons, Tejaswi and Tej Pratap, who had had emerged victorious from the Mahua and Raghopur constituencies in the Bihar assembly polls would belie her past as a onetime chief minister of that very state.
A day after the results of the Bihar assembly elections were declared, the mother of the house that has had two chief ministers, was marshalling her energies to meet guests and party supporters who were streaming in continuously since the morning of November 8.
She even posed for selfies with the younger base of the Rashtriya Janata Dal.
Fighting a sore throat and a bad cold, Rabri Devi spoke to Prasanna D Zore/Rediff.com about how she will take her sons to task if they do not fulfil their promises to the electorate.
Both your sons have won and the RJD has emerged as the single largest party.
I am feeling very good. Our hard work has been blessed handsomely by the people of Bihar. I congratulate the people of Bihar, I thank them for this strong mandate they have given to the Mahagatbandhan.
What would be your message to the female electorate of Bihar, who, it is now emerging, have overwhelmingly voted for the Mahagatbandhan?
The women of Bihar have expressed their free will and fulfilled their responsibility. Now, it is our duty to fulfil their expectations from the Mahagatbandhan government.
My special thanks to the women of Raghopur (the constituency from where Tejaswi Yadav was elected) and Mahua (the constituency from where Tej Pratap Yadav was elected).
We are duty bound because of this huge mandate to provide safety and security as well as better education and health facilities to the women of Bihar and we will do it with utmost sincerity.
We are also duty-bound to provide the best law and order situation in the state for their development.
The Mahagatbandhan will work to make the women of Bihar safe and secure. We will also work for the economic development of women.
Where is Laluji? He is not to be seen anywhere. Has he already left for Benaras?
(Laughs) We are tired and Laluji is resting for some time, but he will surely act on his commitment and tour the entire nation to unite all the secular forces.
What was Laluji's first reaction after it became clear that the Mahagatbandhan was heading for victory?
What will he say? He said whatever he had to at the press conference he addressed that afternoon. At a personal level, we both blessed our sons for their victories and asked them to fulfill their responsibilities and work for the development of Bihar.
For a mother and father it (Tej Pratap and Tejaswi Yadav's victory) was obviously a very joyous occasion.
Both of you have been former chief ministers of Bihar. What advice did you give your sons after their victory?
We told them to stand by the people in their sorrows and troubles. We told them to check if the measures adopted by the government for the development of people reach them or not.
Will you keep a close eye on both Tejaswi and Tej Pratap to check if they are following your advice or not?
Of course, we will keep a check on the development of not only these two constituencies just because my sons were elected from here, but of the entire state.
They will have to strive hard for the development of the poor.
What blessings did you give your sons?
We told them to work hard for the people and they will always have the blessings of their mother and father and they should seek the blessings of the people too.
They will get the people's blessings only if their development work reaches the masses. They should heed the voice and needs of the people.
