Minister compares Lalu's jail term with Nelson Mandela's

Drawing a parallel between Lalu Prasad and anti-apartheid activist Nelson Mandela, Jharkhand minister Annapurna Devi today said the jailed leader would be a "future challenger" for the post of prime minister.

"Nelson Mandela had been jailed for 27 years following his protest against the apartheid regime. When he came out he became the president of South Africa. Our leader, Lalu Prasad, will also come out from the jail and become a challenger to the post of the prime minister," Devi, also a RJD leader, said here.

She was addressing the RJD's Palamau Division Convention here.

RJD MP and party's Jharkhand affairs incharge Ram Kripal Yadav said, "We have faith in the judiciary. Our leader will come out to lead us again."

Prasad is serving five years rigorous imprisonment from September 30 after a special CBI court found him and 44 others guilty in a fodder scam case, pertaining to fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 37.7 crore.

The former Bihar chief minister has moved the Jharkhand High Court for bail and staying of the sentence and the Rs 25 lakh fine.

The HC has asked for the lower court's record in the case.