Lalu family boycotts Nitish event

Sources link move to deputy chief minister being excluded from invitation card

The ruling Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), headed by Lalu Prasad, has slammed its own government in Bihar after no one from his family was given place on invitation cards printed for the much-publicised Bihar foundation day celebrations.

The three-day celebrations, held at Patna’s Gandhi Maidan to mark the 105th formation day of the state, concluded yesterday.

No member of the Prasad family attended the function in protest, robbing the function of much of its shine.

According to RJD insiders, the Prasad family was angry over the way the name of the deputy chief minister was excluded from the invitation card.

The card mentioned the names of only two persons. It said the chief minister would inaugurate the function and education minister Ashok Chaudhary would preside over it.

The “total boycott” assumes much significance given the fact that the RJD president’s two sons are ministers in the Nitish Kumar government.

While Lalu’s younger son Tejashwi Yadav is the deputy chief minister, the elder son Tej Pratap Yadav is health minister in the government.

The RJD chief’s wife Rabri Devi is a member of the Upper House in the Bihar legislature, whereas Prasad himself happens to be the national president of the party.

“We have nothing to say,” were the curt replies of Prasad’s wife Rabri Devi and deputy chief minister son Tejashwi.

Tej Pratap, however, was blunt saying: “I celebrated the Bihar Diwas at home.”