Lalu plays with colours ahead of Holi

Sunday March 4 2007 IANS

PATNA: Railway Minister Lalu Prasad, euphoric over the "dream" Railway Budget he presented this week in parliament, played with colours Saturday afternoon on the eve of Holi and used the opportunity to attack his political foe, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.Clad in his usual white kurta and pyjama and surrounded by media persons and party workers at the 10, Circular Road, residence his wife Rabri Devi, who is the state's Leader of Opposition, Lalu Prasad was in his elements while playing with colours despite initial reluctance to celebrate the festival a day ahead. Lalu was drenched with coloured water as wife Rabri Devi looked on amusingly."He is in the mood to play, but let's wait for Holi," Rabri Devi told IANS. At a formal press conference, Lalu Prasad said he would celebrate the festival of colours on Sunday, but when one of the press photographers drenched him with colour, Lalu was sporting enough to participate."Wait for the real Holi, I will play in style," he said.The Rashtriya Janata Dal leader also released a Hindi satirical booklet titled "Shushashan Gutkha" written by poet Virender Vachaspati in Magahi dialect, spoofing the claims of Nitish Kumar's 16-month-old 'sushashan' (good governance). "Whatever is written by this old poet about the Nitish Kumar government is true. There is no law and order, only announcements and promises. Nothing happens on the ground," Lalu Prasad said."The poet requested me to release the book since I am available in Patna and I honoured him with a shawl and a bunch of flowers," he said.Lalu Prasad was also elated over his railway budget. "After presenting my dream Railway Budget, which has shown a profit of Rs.200 billion, I'm now in a mood to celebrate Holi in my very own style," he said. Lalu Prasad boasted how Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Finance Minister P. Chidambaram had praised his railway budget, apart from many other people.Sources at the residence said Lalu Prasad has given instructions for a grand party this Holi. "There will be different herbal colours, thandai (drink), bhang and sweets," the source said.Lalu Prasad is known for playing particularly robust Holi - literally tearing off the clothes of the participants, during the festivities. During their 15-year-long rule in Bihar, the couple would host big Holi parties every year, except the year when Lalu Prasad was in jail for his alleged involvement in the multi-million-rupees fodder scam in the late 1990s.Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will celebrate Holi in a simple and low-key fashion on Sunday.