Lalu was addressing a gathering at the Krishnagar city junction railway station while inaugurating the electrification of the railway line between Krishnagar junction and Lalgola station. He also laid the foundation of a new line between Krishnagar and Charatala stations.

Conceding to the demand of the MPs present at the function, Lalu agreed to start a new train from Kolkata to Murshidabad to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Battle of Plassey. The train will be called Hazaarduari Express. Keeping in mind the needs of the lakhs of people from Bihar who are working and living in Kolkata, especially in the vicinity of the Kolkata station, Lalu announced a ‘Garib Rath’ from Patna to Kolkata station.

Speaking in his inimitable style, Lalu complimented himself and added that the success story scripted by the Indian Railways had made the world curious about who Lalu Prasad Yadav was. Students from all across the globe are coming to India to know about the turnaround in the Indian Railways.

Lalu criticised the earlier BJP-led NDA regime at the Centre and blamed them for ruining the Railways. “They were talking of privatisation and also retrenched 20 per cent of the workforce. They increased fares in each budget and ran into huge losses. I slashed fares and yet achieved a profit. But my grandfather was not a professor. I used to rear cows,” said Lalu.