Lalu Prasad Yadav celebrates 76th birthday with family in Patna

Patna: Former Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad celebrated his 76th birthday by cutting a cake in the presence of his family members here.

Prasad cut the cake on the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday at 10 Circular Road, the official residence of former Bihar CM Rabri Devi, where Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Prasad Yadav and Prasad’s daughter Rohini Acharya, who had donated a kidney to the RJD chief, were present.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar greeted the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief and prayed for his long and healthy life.

“Prasad’s birthday is being celebrated in Patna after he underwent a successful kidney transplant in Singapore in December last year. The party is also organising similar celebrations at the panchayat, block and sub-division levels across the state”, said RJD state spokesperson Chitranjan Gagan.

“Mass feasts are being organised in other states where RJD has members. Party men are distributing fruits among poor patients in hospitals and stationeries among students from economically weaker sections. Supporters will also donate blood and clothes on this occasion”, said Gagan.

The RJD patriarch is expected to play an important role in uniting the opposition parties ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha and assembly polls in the state.

Political observers believe that Prasad’s ability to network with anti-BJP leaders is unparalleled.

RJD is the largest ally in the Nitish-Kumar-led Grand Alliance government in Bihar. The other alliance members are JD(U), Congress, CPIML(L), CPI, CPI(M) and HAM, which together have more than 160 MLAs in the 243-strong assembly.

Kumar is already working to unite all opposition parties ahead of the coming general elections.

Kumar and Prasad had met Congress president Sonia Gandhi to discuss the contours of opposition unity ahead of the 2024 general elections in September last.