Few Indian politicians can match the mass appeal and charisma of Lalu Prasad Yadav. As the leader of a political party, as the Chief Minister of Bihar and as Union Minister, he blazed a trail, bringing a dash of rustic wit and flair into the nation’s political narrative of drab ‘political correctness’. Although essentially a regional leader, his influence has extended beyond his home state, often impacting important political developments at the Centre. Gopalganj to Raisina Road is the journey of India’s most colourful political leader. From his humble origins in Phulwaria village to his remarkable rise as Railway Minister, the narrative relives the twists and turns and the highs and lows of his life. In doing so, it reveals little-known facets of many inflection points in the nation’s history: the Emergency, how he got V.P. Singh to implement the explosive Mandal Commission recommendations, the arrest of veteran BJP leader L.K. Advani during the latter’s Rath Yatra, Sonia Gandhi’s decision to not lead the UPA government, his acceptance of Manmohan Singh’s candidature for prime ministership in 2004, and his dramatic relationship with friend-turned-foe Nitish Kumar. A political potboiler as never seen before, Lalu Prasad Yadav’s autobiography is the most important book if one has to understand the evolution of the politics of the dalits and the marginalized.
Author info
LALU PRASAD YADAV has held many portfolios successfully over the years. He has been Chief Minister of Bihar twice, Union Railway Minister (2004–09), and Member of Parliament for Saran (Chhapra) in 2009, and Madhepura in 2004. He is the National President of the Rashtriya Janata Dal. During his stint as Railway Minister, Yadav steered the Indian Railways from being mired in losses to posting a surplus of nearly ₹90,000 crore. He holds the unique distinction of being a Member of all four Houses of the Indian political system—Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, Vidhan Sabha and Vidhan Parishad. More importantly, Yadav has been a champion of social justice and has fought relentlessly for the empowerment of the weaker sections of society. NALIN VERMA is a veteran journalist who has worked in senior editorial positions with The Telegraph and The Statesman. He began his career as a journalist with Hindustan Times in the late 1980s. He has written extensively on society, politics and governance in Bihar for nearly three decades, and contributes to several national and international journals as well as digital media platforms regularly. Of late, Verma has shifted to teaching and research. He is part of the visiting faculty at Lovely Professional University, Jalandhar, and other institutions of mass communication.
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