JD(U), BJP assail Tejashwi, Tej Pratap offers prayer for Lalu

PATNA: The ruling JD(U) and BJP on Wednesday took a dig at Lalu Prasad's son Tejashwi Prasad Yadav and his senior party functionaries after the special CBI Court at Ranchi issued summons against them on contempt charges while RJD men organized prayers at Patna and other places for their party chief, against whom the quantum of punishment in Deoghar treasury case of the fodder scam is now to be pronounced on Thursday.
Lalu's elder son Tej Pratap Yadav visited Hanuman Mandir near Patna Junction in the morning and prayed for the early release of his father, who is in Birsa Munda jail at Ranchi after his conviction in the fodder scam case.

"We have full faith in the judiciary. In fact, the court is God for us. We will accept whatever sentence the court pronounces for Lalu ji. We are sure of getting justice as nothing wrong can happen to Lalu ji," Tej told reporters.

Prayers were also held at Lalu's ancestral village Phulwariya in Gopalganj district for the second consecutive day. Sources said Lalu's elder brother's wife Kunti Devi led an elaborate prayer ritual attended by around a dozen people at the village Durga temple. Meanwhile, JD(U) and BJP took dig at Tejashwi and RJD's national vice-presidents Raghuvansh Prasad Singh and Shivanand Tiwari after the Ranchi court issues summons against them for making casteist remarks after Lalu's conviction last week.

JD(U) spokesperson Neeraj Kumar said Tejashwi's statement on court's order was a direct attack on the judiciary. Neeraj said Tiwari was deliberately creating more trouble for the Lalu family.

"The way Tiwari made statements in the media even before the court pronounced quantum against Lalu clearly indicates a direct attack on the independent judicial system in the country.

Also, Tiwari has proved that Lalu family does not need any enemies as he is already doing their job," Neeraj said.

BJP spokesperson Premranjan Patel also said the RJD functionaries were raising questions on the court's decision out of frustration.

Earlier in the morning, JD(U)'s national general secretary K C Tyagi said Lalu's sentence is keenly awaited as it would prove to be a turning point in Bihar politics."Our alliance with RJD broke on the issue of corruption only," Tyagi told reporters at Delhi.