an event yesterday

PM Modi praises Nitish over liquor ban in Bihar, Lalu reacts

NEW DELHI: Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) vice-president Raghuvansh Prasad lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar for the absense of RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav on the dais with them atRaghuvansh said that as part of the grand political alliance in Bihar, Lalu should have been seated along with JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar."How could they have seated Lalu Yadav below (in the audience)? There is a grand alliance, so shouldn't he have been present there (on the dais)?" fumed Raghuvansh to reporters yesterday.The former union minister claimed that the oversight had offended many people and minced no words to express his own displeasure."This doesn't look like a grand alliance to me. The government is not composed of JD(U) alone. It is not a question of protocol. This sort of behaviour is unjustified and wrong," Raghuvansh said.He added that since Lalu is a popular and beloved leader of the people, this action sends a wrong message to the public."The event seemed like a JD(U)-BJP publicity op," the RJD leader said.Prime Minister Narendra Modi was in Patna to attend the ' Prakash Parv ' celebrations marking the 350th birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh. At the event, the PM's resurgent bonhomie with the Bihar chief minister made headlines.