Critics and supporters will both agree that Lalu Prasad transformed Bihar. Both camps will point to the current elections to show how his legacy persists — while supporters will argue that the RJD’s voterbase remains largely intact despite it being out of power for many years, the critics will say it is the memory of the ‘jungle raj’ under Lalu that has kept RJD out of power for all these years.But when Lalu came to power more than 30 years ago, his first achievement was bringing stability to a state where for decades, chief ministers had rarely finished even half their terms.Instability in BiharThe 1990 Assembly elections in Bihar proved decisive for the state’s future. The once-dominant Congress was reduced to 71 seats, while the Janata Dal, which had formed the government at the Centre only three months ago, won 122 and the BJP 39.From March 1967 to March 1990, Bihar had witnessed chronic political instability—20 regimes under 16 chief ministers and five spells of President’s Rule. However, in the same period, a new generation of leaders, shaped by the student movements of the 1970s, was getting ready to transform the state’s political landscape.The rise of the Janata Dal under VP Singh was driven by leaders from backward communities—Lalu Prasad Yadav, Nitish Kumar, Mulayam Singh Yadav, Sharad Yadav, among others—who mobilised the politically marginalised sections against the Congress.After the 1990 win, the big question before the Janata Dal was whom to choose for the chief minister post. There were three contenders — Lalu Prasad, Raghunath Jha, and former CM Ram Sundar Das. Lalu secured the chair, with strong backing from senior leaders like George Fernandes and Mulayam Singh Yadav.On March 10, 1990, Lalu Prasad, then 42, took oath as the first post-Independence-born Chief Minister of Bihar, marking the beginning of a new socio-political era.Lalu before CM chairStory continues below this adBorn in June 1948 in the Phulwaria village of Gopalganj district, Lalu Prasad came from a humble background. While he was in college in Patna, socialist veteran Shivanand Tiwari brought him in touch with the Samajwadi Yuvjan Sabha (SYS).After graduation, Lalu worked briefly as a clerk at a veterinary college in Patna. He also holds an LLB degree. He became general secretary of the Patna University Students’ Union (PUSU) first and then its president in 1973–74. His team included then ABVP candidates and future BJP leaders Sushil Kumar Modi and Ravi Shankar Prasad, who were general secretary and secretary respectively with him at PUSU.Convenor of the Chhatra Sangharsh Samiti in Bihar during the JP Movement, Lalu Prasad was imprisoned during the Emergency. When he first entered Parliament in 1977 as a Janata Party candidate, he was only 29.CM stintAs CM, Lalu eventually became a phenomenon. His rustic humor, his dressing style, and his championing of backward and minority communities gave Bihar a new political grammar that echoed at the national level. His appeal among masses in Bihar was unmatched.Story continues below this adBefore the 1995 Assembly polls, Lalu’s “younger brother” Nitish Kumar and his “guru” George Fernandes quit Janata Dal to form the Samata Party (later the JD(U)), which aligned with the BJP against him. However, Lalu retained power, his Janata Dal winning 167 of the 324 seats.This was the time when the allegations of misrule, a sky high rate of crimes, and the promotion of Yadavs at the cost of other backward communities began to rise against him. These would continue, and even in the current elections, the RJD is struggling to shake off the ‘jungle raj’ tag.Meanwhile, at the national level, after the 1996 Lok Sabha polls, Lalu’s name was discussed as one of the probable prime ministerial candidates of the third front. Then Karnataka Chief Minister HD Deve Gowda eventually got the post.In 1997, as the fodder scam came to light, Lalu faced mounting allegations of corruption. Refusing to resign, he broke away from the Janata Dal and formed the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) in July 1997. However, as the investigation intensified, he stepped down as Chief Minister on July 25, 1997, installing his wife Rabri Devi as his successor. This marked the beginning of a new phase of “family rule” in the state.Story continues below this adThe RJD lost power decisively in 2005, and Nitish Kumar is yet to be dethroned.Outside BiharLalu’s political acumen ensured his continued relevance. Elected to the Lok Sabha again in 1998, 1999, 2004 and 2009, he served as Railway Minister in the UPA-I government (2004–2009) under Dr. Manmohan Singh. During his tenure, Indian Railways saw financial growth, earning him praise. However, allegations of corruption and nepotism followed him here too, including the “land-for-jobs” scam.Barred from contesting elections after his October 2013 conviction, Lalu Yadav’s influence persists through his family. His wife Rabri Devi is MLC, sons Tej Pratap Yadav and Tejashwi Yadav are MLAs, and daughter Misa Bharti is a Lok Sabha MP. Tejashwi has emerged as his political heir.Known for his sharp wit and earthy humor, Lalu Prasad remains one of India’s most colorful political figures. His speeches in Parliament, the Assembly and in political rallies, often mixing satire with social commentary, are popular on social media.Story continues below this adAlongside Mulayam Singh Yadav from Uttar Pradesh and Sharad Yadav from Madhya Pradesh, Lalu formed a post-Emergency triumvirate that shaped northern India’s opposition politics. Unlike his peers, however, he consistently opposed the BJP.Now in his seventies and in frail health, Lalu is on bail in several cases. Yet, his impact on Bihar’s politics—and on India’s discourse on caste and representation—endures.