‘Carefree’ Lalu Prasad enjoys ‘launda naach’ at his wife’s residence in company of party colleagues

PATNA: RJD chief Lalu Prasad grabbed the attention of the masses once again after he was caught on camera enjoying Bihar’s famous folk dance “Launda Naach” in Patna in the company of his minister son and several top party colleagues in what many described it as an attempt to release the alliance pressures.
A video of the programme apparently organised at his wife Rabri Devi’s official residence on Tuesday has gone viral and is being frequently shared on social media. Lalu has been known for enjoying such events in the past away from the pulls and pressures of politics.

In the video, Lalu who is recuperating after his kidney transplant surgery in Singapore is seen grabbing front row of seats with senior party colleagues like Assembly Speaker Awadh Bihari Chaudhari, Shivanand Tiwari, Abdul Bari Siddiqui and Uday Narayan Chaudhary as the artists perform, enthralling the guests. His minister son Tej Pratap Yadav is also seen in a very happy mood, sitting close to his father.
“Lalu has been befooling the masses for long by adopting such tricks. He must know that the state has moved ahead and none is going to fall in his traps,” former minister and HAM(S) president Santosh Kumar Suman said on Thursday.
He said such events were quite usual while Lalu remained on the throne in his early 90’s and he just wants to remind the masses again.
“During that time, such dances were quite usual, and the (RJD) people would move on the streets carrying lathis in hands which made the masses lock themselves in homes,” Suman said, asking the masses to be alert.
The RJD denied it was a dance, adding this was a programme organised in memory of Bhikhari Thakur, a Bhojpuri language poet, playwright, lyricist, actor, folk dancer, folk singer and social activist.
“This was not a dance but a presentation of the popular folk dance,” RJD spokesperson Shakti Singh Yadav said, adding the initiative was aimed at “promoting the dying folk dance.”
Of late, Lalu has been caught indulging in activities other than politics. Last week, he was seen visiting a restaurant in Patna and enjoying Rajasthani food in the company of his elder son Tej Pratap. Prior to that he was seen taking rounds of Patna streets on his Rath in the company of his party colleague Shivanand Tiwari and then enjoying kulfi at Patna’s very own Marine Drive. At the same time, he has visited several temples to seek blessings of the deities.
“Apparently, he is happy after the formation of the INDIA bloc,” quipped JD(U) minister Ratnesh Sada. Analysts said shortly after kidney transplant and formation of INDIA bloc, Lalu looks “carefree”, hopeful of putting up good performance in the upcoming LS polls with his younger son Tejashwi Prasad Yadav successfully handling the party affairs.