PM Narendra Modi attends pre-wedding bash of Mulayam Singh Yadav, Lalu Prasad's families

LUCKNOW: The man many have dubbed as the “Hindu Hridaya Samrat” Narendra Modi and “Maulana” Mulayam Singh Yadav came together in Saifai during the Tilak ceremony of Mulayam’s grand nephew Tej Pratap Yadav with Lalu Prasad Yadav’s youngest daughter Raj Lakshmi on Saturday.

Prime minister Modi was not only warmly welcomed by Mulayam with a hug and a shawl, but he was virtually accorded the chief guest status, seated between Mulayam and Lalu on the stage for about half an hour.

The entire Mulayam and Lalu clan got themselves clicked with prime minister Modi. The wedding made for an interesting gathering of opposing ideologies with even BJP’s MP Sakshi Maharaj spotted among many VIPs. The Tilak ceremony was also the coming together of the tallest backward caste leaders Modi, Mulayam, Lalu and Sharad Yadav.

Senior SP leader Azam Khan was conspicuous by his absence. A vociferous critic of Modi, Khan turned up only later in the day. The one among them missed the most was Janata Dal (United) leader Nitish Kumar, who looks all set to return as the Bihar chief minister.