Gloom at Lalu’s residence, RJD chief holds talks with lawyers

The mood at the sprawling home of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad at Patna’s 10 Circular Road was gloomy on Saturday with anxious relatives and party men debating the fallout of CBI raids.

Prasad held consultations throughout the day with senior aides and lawyers on how to battle the fresh allegations of illegalities in leasing out railway hotels during his tenure as the railways minister, even as CBI conducted raids at a New Delhi farmhouse of his daughter Misa Bharti in connection with a corruption case.

Prasad’s two minister-sons, Tej Pratap and Tejashwi were seen pacing up and down the lawns, underlining the anxiety of the family.

“We will be consulting top lawyers of the country on the case after procuring the certified copy of the FIR,” said a close Prasad confidante.

Compared to Friday, when large number of supporters and journalists had converged during the CBI raids, the crowd were sparse on Saturday.

Prasad woke late during the day after consultations that stretched well past midnight and picked up the discussions from where he had left them.

“Saheb (Lalu) chai piye aur logon se miley jaise woh roz miltey hain (Lalu had tea and met workers as usual),” claimed Bhola Yadav, his close aide and a legislator.

Many of those in attendance kept up their political bluster, saying the raids will make no difference to the RJD.

“Laluji looked all relaxed and talked with us in his usual manner. The CBI raid is a deliberate attempt to demoralise us, but we would not be cowed down,” said Ram Chandra Purbe, the state president of the RJD.

Party leaders cited Prasad’s composure, who took a nap in the afternoon after a lunch of dal and sabzi, as a sign of his confidence against adversity.