PATNA, OCTOBER 17 It is a born-again leader this time. After his political near-death experience in the February elections, Laloo Prasad Yadav is a transformed man. He is not rude to his supporters; in fact, he reasons with the impatient crowd around him. ‘‘Ask questions,’’ he politely prompts TV crew.

Yes, Laloo Yadav has changed. It’s an image prompted by the changes around him. First, he is not at the centre of this election. For the last 15 years, he was the central character of Bihar politics, and his the last word. Nitish Kumar and Ramvilas Paswan reacted to Laloo all this while. This time, they too are actors and Laloo, for the first time, is one among the many.

‘‘His changed demeanour betrays his insecurities,’’ says BJP’s Arun Jaitley. ‘‘He is a past master and is adapting to the new political situation,’’ says a close political aide of Laloo. ‘‘But certainly, this election is not about Laloo. In fact, in this election, Laloo individually is no factor at all,’’ he concedes.

NDA’s projection of Nitish Kumar as the chief ministerial candidate has got the alliance’s campaign more focussed. In February it was non-committal about the chief ministerial candidate. ‘‘Nitish Kumar’s projection will reassure the backward classes that the rule will not go out of their hands,’’ a BJP strategist says.

Laloo is unable wish away Nitish’s development agenda or Ram Vilas Paswan’s plea for a Muslim chief minister. Laloo is not even trying to distract the voters this time; it failed in February. He is seeking a political resuscitation. Agreed, development did not happen, but it will happen now, he assures. And there are takers. Because, his voters like to believe him more than his opponents. ‘‘His core base, of Yadavs, has forgiven him. They punished him in February, and they believe he will mend his ways,’’ a senior bureaucrat says.

Laloo’s new temper is reconciliatory to his own voters. Seat selection was objective and those who were denied tickets were at least not humiliated. Subash Yadav, the controversial brother-in-law is sidelined. Sadhu Yadav, the other one, is also following in Laloo’s footsteps in public relations. With Yadavs slowly gathering around him, Laloo’s worry is about Muslims. There, Sonia Gandhi is his crutches.

On Saturday, at a rally he addressed along with Sonia Gandhi, Laloo was eloquent: ‘‘Soniaji is committed to secularism and our alliance is forever.’’ In the 2004 Lok Sabha elections, he did not allow Sonia to campaign in Bihar for the alliance. “Laloo is sufficient to keep off the BJP,’’ he boasted. This time, he seeks legitimacy through his alliance with the Congress. ‘‘We do not trust Laloo. But we shall vote for the RJD-Cong hoping that the Congress will put pressure on Laloo to perform,’’ says Maulana Nizamuddin, general secretary of Imarat-e-Sharia.