Efforts on to make Lalu attend Rahul’s rally

In what could spell trouble for the grand alliance in Bihar elections, former Chief Minister Lalu Prasad has refused to share the stage with Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi at a rally and efforts were on to make him attend it.

Senior Janata Dal-United (JD-U) leader and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar would, however, attend Gandhi’s rally in West Champaran on September 19. “Lalu (Prasad) has said no to Congress vice-president’s rally, citing busy schedule,” a senior Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader said. 

RJD chief Lalu Prasad, however, assured the Congress leaders in the state that his son Tejaswi Yadav, regarded as his heir apparent, would attend the rally on his behalf.  

Sources said Prasad was reluctant to share <g data-gr-id="12">dais</g> with Gandhi as he was unhappy with the Congress leader over the latter’s political approach and stand on some issues. After the RJD chief's refusal to attend Gandhi's Champaran rally to kick-start the Congress election campaign in Bihar, the Congress is trying to persuade the former CM to share the stage with the Gandhi family scion to project before the public the unity of the grand alliance.