BJP’s Shatrughan calls on RJD chief Lalu Prasad, calls his son Tejaswi ‘Bihar’s face’

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Shatrughan Sinha Saturday, December 22, met Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav here, and praised his son Tejaswi Yadav, calling him "Bihar's face" and "its future".

Accompanied by Congress leader and former union minister Subodh Kant Sahay, Sinha, the BJP MP from Patna Sahib constituency, called on ailing Prasad. Sinha said he has a familial bond with Prasad as both had stood by each other during good and bad times.

Prasad is lodged at Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) here after conviction in multi-crore fodder scam cases.

"Tejeshwi is a very good and talented boy. I believe he is the face of Bihar and its future," Sinha told reporters praising the RJD heir apparent.

Asked whether there was any political talk between him and Prasad, Sinha said family topics mostly dominated the conversation.

"Moreover, political dialogues don't have significance as you know it is khadmas (inauspicious month)," said the actor-politician, who is at odds with his party since 2015 Bihar Assembly elections.

Though Sinha denied any political talks with the RJD supremo, the timing of the meeting has great political significance as Tejashwi Yadav on Thursday, December 20, made a public appearance with Congress leader Ahmed Patel, RLSP Chief Upendra Kushwaha and HAM leader Jitan Ram Manjhi in Delhi, indicating the cobbling together of the mahagathbandhan ahead of 2019 general elections.

There is speculation that Sinha, whose attack on his party has sharpened in recent times, might be denied a ticket in the 2019 elections and in such a situation he would probably enter the fray from Patna Sahib from Prasad's party.

Sinha, popularly known as 'Bihari Babu', has on several occasions made it clear that the "location (of the constituency) will be the same, even if the situation changes." Sinha, who has represented his native Patna Sahib as a BJP MP in two consecutive terms, praised the RJD saying in the last few years, the way RJD performed across the country, particularly in Bihar, showed there was a wave of sympathy among the people for Prasad.

"The BJP is my friend, Lalu ji is my friend and all other parties are also my friends. But before that, I am of the people of the country," Sinha said.