Rebel BJP leader Shatrughan Sinha meets Lalu Prasad; calls Tejaswi Yadav Bihar's future

Shatrughan Sinha on Saturday met Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and praised his elder son Tejaswi Yadav calling him the face and future of Bihar.

Sinha was accompanied by Congress leader and former union minister Subodh Kant Sahay. (Image: PTI)

Ranchi: Actor-turned-politician and rebel Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Shatrughan Sinha on Saturday met Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and praised his elder son Tejaswi Yadav calling him the face and future of Bihar. “Tejeshwi is a very good and talented boy. I believe he is the face of Bihar and its future,” news agency PTI quoted Sinha as saying. Sinha went to see jailed and ailing RJD chief who is logged at Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Ranchi after conviction in multi-crore fodder scam cases. The BJP MP from Patna Sahib Constituency was accompanied by Congress leader and former union minister Subodh Kant Sahay. After meeting Yadav, Sinha said he has a familial bond with Prasad as both had stood by each other during good and bad times. When asked if any political talks between them took place, Sinha said that family topics mostly dominated the conversation. “Moreover, political dialogues don’t have significance as you know it is khadmas (inauspicious month),” said Sinha, who is against his party since 2015 Bihar Assembly elections. Though the leader denied any political talks with RJD chief, the timing of the talks hold significant importance as much is happening in the political horizons of Bihar. Recently, Tejashwi was seen sharing stage with Congress leader Ahmad Patel, RLSP’s Upendra Kushwaha and HAM leader Jitan Ram Manjhi in the national capital, indicating a possibility of another Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) ahead of 2019 general elections. It is also being speculated that Sinha, who has been critical of the BJP governance, might not be given ticket in 2019 general elections and in such a situation he would possibly contest election from Patna Sahib Constituency on RJD's ticket. Sinha also praised the RJD saying in the last few years, the way it has 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 added further. (With agency inputs)