Lalu Prasad Yadav has been convicted for his role in the fodder scam, and has lost his membership of the Lok Sabha. Is it time for his political obituary? No, don’t write him off yet and – who knows – he may even emerge stronger after a stay in jail, feel people of Phulwaria, the village that is the maverick leader’s birthplace.

Phulwaria presented a deserted look since Monday morning and once the CBI court in Ranchi made the pronouncement of Lalu’s conviction the village fell into gloom. Villagers assembled under a century-old peepal tree unanimously reacted to the verdict: “bahut bura huwa” (it is highly unfortunate).

Also read: Convicted in fodder scam, Lalu now ex-MP?

An octogenarian named Indrasan Yadav could not stop his tears. “This is injustice to the son of ours,” he said. “But he is like Krishna and the jail is like his home.” Lalu’s nephew Ramanand Yadav was quick to intervene: “Jail me aur majboot honge (he will emerge stronger by staying in jail)”.

During his years in power, Lalu ensured Phulwaria got a hospital, a railway station, a block office and a police station. No wonder, people of the village, which has 700-plus households of Yadav, Bhumihar, Brahmin, Bania, Paswan and Gond castes, have been treating Lalu very fondly.

“When he was here last year, he fed puwa, puri and bunia to men and women of all houses from his own hands,” recalled Ram Biswas Dubey. Said Sagir Hussain of Line Bazar, “Lalujee is like a family member to us. How can we forget him whether lives at his home or sent to the prison?”

The conviction appears to be no way going to have any adverse impact on his clout among his voters in the state. Rather the judgment may give more political strength to him. Yadavs feel that their leader has been framed with false cases at the behest of chief minister Nitish Kumar, consolidating their support for Lalu. Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) workers have been briefed to spread the word of ‘false framing’ among the people to get the political mileage and keeping the vote bank intact.

Rabri Devi, Lalu’s wife and successor as CM, told selected mediapersons in Patna that “The chief minister of Bihar is responsible for sending my husband to jail and people of Bihar would take revenge to it by voting to her party in the coming elections.”

However, many political analysts foresee a big setback to RJD in the next round of elections if Lalu remains in jail till then. “In the absence of a strong commander like Lalu, the party will face divisions and become directionless,” said a JD(U) MP.

Significantly, a BJP member of the Rajya Sabha who does not want to be quoted feels RJD would be remain as intact as it did after Lalu went to jail for the first time in July 1997.

Jagadanand Singh, RJD MP from Buxar, agreed with that view. He said, “Lalujee is the leader of the party but not its creator. The RJD is the party of leaders and workers who carry the legacy of leaders like Ram Manohar Lohia and Karpoori Thakur. They will not be treacherous to their current leader.”

However, it is for the first time in four decades of his electoral career since he became an MP in 1977 that Lalu will not be a member of any house. With conviction his membership of Lok Sabha stands terminated. Thanks to the supreme court verdict .