Lalu and his Minister sons shared a meal with P M Narendra Modi at Guru Gobind Singh’s birth anniversary,
PATNA : A day after Lalu Yadav and his sons shared a meal with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at an event to mark Guru Gobind Singh’s birth anniversary, his party has raised strong objections to their chief not being seated on the stage with PM Modi and Nitish Kumar.
Lalu Yadav, a former chief minister whose Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) won more seats for the ruling alliance led by Nitish Kumar, was seated on the ground along with the audience. His sons, Deputy Chief Minister Tejaswi Yadav and Health Minister Tej Pratap Yadav, were also missing on the stage.
“Why was Lalu Yadav seated on the floor? This is a mahagathbandhan (grand alliance), then shouldn’t everyone be on stage?” questioned Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, a senior RJD leader. “It appears as if there is no coalition, that it is only a Janata Dal United government here. People are very upset about this,” Mr Singh lashed out.
PM Narendra Modi with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in Patna.
If Lalu Yadav was offended, he has not commented till now. On Thursday, PM Modi shared lunch with Nitish Kumar, Lalu Yadav and his sons.
The Prime Minister ribbed Lalu Yadav’s 28-year-old older son Tej Pratap Yadav, saying: “Aap toh Kishan Kanhaiya ho gaye hain (you are becoming a likeness of Krishna).” He was referring to a recent photograph of Tej Pratap Yadav playing the flute, the instrument that Lord Krishna is depicted with.
Since their widely viewed bear hugs while forming Bihar’s ruling coalition in 2015, Nitish Kumar and Lalu Yadav have laboured over their – often patchy – relationship.
Recently, Lalu Yadav denied any differences over controversial RJD leader Mohammad Shahabuddin, whose bail despite charges of murder and kidnapping was condemned before the court sent him back to jail on the state government’s recommendation.
Lalu Yadav and Nitish Kumar also disagree on the notes ban. The RJD chief is reportedly upset with Mr Kumar’s declaration of “full support” to PM Modi, who returned the favour at yesterday’s rally by praising the Bihar Chief Minister’s liquor ban.ndtv.com
