Lalu Prasad could have taken on PM, says Arundhati Roy

Country may be pushed into early Lok Sabha polls to cover up the Adani loopholes, says the author-activist

Ruing the absence of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) founder Lalu Prasad from active politics owing to health issues, author-activist Arundhati Roy told  The Hindu on Friday that he is one politician who could have taken on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In Patna, to attend the 11th Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation party congress, she attacked the PM over the Adani-Hindenburg report and claimed that to cover up the Adani loopholes, the country may be pushed into early Lok Sabha polls.

Ms. Roy said the Opposition could stop the PM’s juggernaut but only if it realised that this is a fight for existence. “Ultimately 37% of the people voted for him. For this figure we know the electoral mathematics and how it works in this country,” she said.

The Booker winner expressed happiness at the coming together of the Janata Dal (United), RJD and Congress, whose alliance rules Bihar. She, however, hoped Chief Minister Nitish Kumar does not shift his allegiance again. “It would be very sad if he does. For me it is very difficult to trust people who have in the past trusted the BJP,” she said, referring to the JD(U) leader’s past tie-ups with the party.

With speculation growing about Mr. Kumar handing over the baton to Mr. Prasad’s son and Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav ahead of the next Assembly election, the author-activist said he has the calibre to lead the State.