Earlier in the day, another RJD MP, Jagdanand Singh, accused the JD(U) of challenging the authority of Parliament and other constitutional mechanisms by describing the past five years of figures vetted by the House as “jugglery”.

“The ‘jugglery’ word being used is an open challenge to Parliament, the Cabinet, Comptroller and Auditor General of India and parliamentary committees which not only vetted the (Railway) budget figures of the past five years but also lauded its performance,” Jagdanand Singh said. He instead advised Mamata to formulate her proposed Vision 2020 for Railways on the basis of its performance under Lalu.

Mamata, who was present during the speeches of RJD members, chose to hear them out even as Raghuvansh Prasad Singh alleged “prima facie” neglect of Bihar, with West Bengal being favoured, and demanded that projects already sanctioned for Bihar be continued.

Cutting across party lines, otherMPs too claimed that their states or seats had been neglected in the Rail Budget.

Lalu meets Mamata over Bihar

After several days of heated exchanges between them, RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav on Wednesday called on Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee. Lalu said he urged Mamata to increase the “inadequate allocation” in the Rail Budget for projects in Bihar, and “she assured that she would look into the issue”. If need be, he would also meet PM Manmohan Singh to demand more funds, Lalu said. The projects for which the RJD chief sought more allocation include the proposed electric engine factory at Madhepura, diesel engine factory at Marora and cupler body factory at Sonepur, besides new railway line projects and development of model stations in the state.