Patna, Jan 14 (IANS) Tej Pratap Yadav, National President of the Janshakti Janata Dal (JJD) and elder son of RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav, hosted a Dahi-Chura feast at his official residence on Wednesday to mark Makar Sankranti, with Tejashwi Yadav’s absence emerging as the key political talking point.

Leaders from both the ruling NDA and opposition parties were invited to the programme.

While Lalu Prasad Yadav attended the feast and blessed his son, Leader of the Opposition Tejashwi Yadav, Tej Pratap’s younger brother, stayed away.

Asked about Tejashwi’s absence, Tej Pratap said his brother might be surrounded by “Jaichands”, implying that certain people could be misleading him.

“We will wait for my younger brother Tejashwi till 9 p.m. Let’s see whether he comes or not,” he said.

Downplaying the political significance, Tej Pratap added: “So what if Tejashwi did not come? My father came. What can be bigger than that? We have the blessings of our parents.”

He further claimed that the Janshakti Janata Dal is the “real party”, and said this was why his father attended the event to bless him.

During the interaction, Tej Pratap was also asked about rumours suggesting he may be made a minister after the end of Kharmas.

Responding cautiously, he said: “Whether I become a minister or even the Chief Minister depends on them. How can I decide that? My father, Lalu Prasad Yadav, had once said in Parliament that everyone has aspirations. He himself aspired to become the Prime Minister.”

Tej Pratap said whenever such a development takes place, he would inform the media himself.

In another politically significant remark, Tej Pratap appealed to Tejashwi Yadav to merge the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) with the Janshakti Janata Dal, claiming JJD is the original party of Lalu Prasad Yadav.

Notably, Tej Pratap personally visited the residences and offices of leaders from both the NDA and the Grand Alliance to invite them to the feast.

He also visited Rabri Devi’s residence to invite his parents and brother Tejashwi Yadav.

–IANS

ajk/pgh