Father Lalu Yadav negates state's growth story, son opens showroom in Bihar

PATNA: The erstwhile first couple of Bihar, Lalu Prasad and Rabri Devi of the Rashtriya Janata Dal, has found a nomenclature. They are referred to as LARA, an acronym which has become the talking point among NDA leaders.

It all started with Lalu Prasad negating Bihar's growth story. He dubbed the investment climate in the state as depressing and mocked at its law and order situation. But turning the heat on the RJD chief, Bihar's deputy chief minister Suhil Kumar Modi remarked that even Prasad was now investing in the state. "He has opened a motorbike showroom, christened LARA, in Aurangabad, vindicating our claims. He wouldn't have invested if the climate was not conducive," Modi said rebutting Prasad's claims on the law and order.

This bit by Suhil Kumar Modi has been lapped up by the ruling NDA. The showroom named LARA in the name of the couple's elder son, Tej Pratap Yadav, has naturally gained attention.

"It is good that they have opened LARA agency. Perhaps, they have come to terms that their political career is as good as over and it would be, therefore, better to open a shop," was what a JD(U) leader commented.

Even chief minister Nitish Kumar took pot shots at Prasad. "Till a few years back, no one would have thought of investing in Aurangabad. But the same people who criticised us have now opened a motorbike agency there," said the chief minister while addressing NDA workers.

Even RJD leaders have not contradicted the chief minister and his deputy. The Leader of the Opposition in the Bihar assembly, Abdul Bari Siddqui, however, hit back at Modi. He said there was no harm if the son of a politician wanted to try his luck in business. "What the deputy chief minister had said certainly did not behove of him," said Siddqui, adding even Modi had made investments in places away from Patna.