Tongues wag over Lalu, sons' absence

The absence of RJD chief Lalu Prasad and his family, including that of his two minister-sons Tej Pratap and Tejaswi Yadav, from the Bihar Diwas celebrations has snowballed into a major controversy.

The absence of Lalu and sons from the government function at Motihari on Thursday as part of the Champaran Satyagrah centenary celebrations added grist to the rumour that the ties between the ruling alliance partners JD (U) and RJD have soured.

While Deputy Chief Minister Tejaswi Yadav refused to comment on his absence, RJD leaders asked the Nitish regime why the invitation card, meant for Bihar Diwas, had names of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Education Minister Ashok Choudhary — also Bihar Congress chief — but not that of the deputy chief minister.

“The Education Department, the nodal agency for organising the programme, should explain why Deputy Chief Minister Tejaswi Yadav’s name was not there on the invitation card. The Bihar government is a coalition regime where the RJD is the largest party. No attempt should, therefore, be made to belittle our leaders,” said RJD legislator Bhai Birendra.

Lalu’s elder son Tej Pratap, who was in Patna but did not attend the function, was more blunt. “I was at my residence. We celebrated Bihar Diwas at home,” he said.
DH News Service