Nitish Kumar walks to Rabri Devi's residence for Iftar party

Patna, April 22 (IANS) The Iftar party, hosted by the RJD at the official residence of former Chief Minister Rabri Devi on Friday, attracted attention of every political party in the state.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, accepting the invitation sent to him by Rabri Devi, and her sons Tejashwi Yadav and Tej Pratap Yadav, walked from his 7 Circular Road bungalow to her 10 Circular Road residence - a mere bungalow away.

He was seen meeting Rabri Devi and Tejashwi Yadav.

Nitish Kumar's meeting with Tejashwi Yadav has a big message for BJP top leadership - coming it is a day before Union Home Minister Amit Shah's visit to the state.

Sources have said that Nitish Kumar is coming closer to the RJD especially at a time when its supremo Lalu Prasad has been granted bail by the Jharkhand High Court in a fodder scam case. It will be interesting to see the next move of Nitish Kumar.

In the recent past, the relation between his Janata Dal-United and the BJP is not so healthy in Bihar. The leaders of both parties are at loggerheads over power sharing. Recently, there was a buzz that going to Rajya Sabha would be ideal for Nitish Kumar. He himself, in an unofficial conversation with media persons, claimed that he has not served in the Rajya Sabha, while some leaders termed him an ideal candidate for the Vice President's post.

Nitish Kumar, however, later clarified that he will not go for the Centre.

Nitish Kumar's visit to Rabri Devi's house for an iftar party will increase his bargaining power with BJP. There is also a possibility that JD-U may inch closer to the RJD and Nitish Kumar might replicate his 2016 act where he separate the JD-U from the Mahagathbandhan and formed the government with the help of the BJP in Bihar. This time, there is a possibility that Nitish Kumar may leave the NDA and join Mahagathbandhan to form a government in Bihar. Holding mid-term polls would be his second choice.

Meanwhile, apart from a large number of RJD supporters, Congress leaders like state chief Madan Mohan Jha, and Awadhesh Narayan Singh, BJP leader and Industry Minister Shahnawaz Hussain, Assembly Speaker Vijay Sinha and leaders of other parties were also present.

The latter included LJP (Ram Vilas) President Chirag Paswan, VIP President and recently sacked minister Mukesh Sahani.

Chirag Paswan said that his father Ram Vilas Paswan always visited the residence of Lalu Prasad when he was organising the Iftar party.

"I am glad that the high court granted bail to Lalu Ji in alleged fodder scam case. He is like my father. I am praying to god that he will recover from his illness very soon. We will work together in future," he said.

Sahani went a step ahead, saying that truth may fall into trouble but it cannot be defeated.

"I am glad that he came out on bail and he will be here among us. He is a symbol of social justice and equality in the country and I will learn from him. Rabri Devi, Tejashwi Yadav Ji and Tej Pratap Yadav Ji invited me for the Iftar party," he said.