Patna: Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) president Lalu Prasad loves good food and those who won his hearts by serving him culinary treats have been suitably rewarded either with a ticket to the Bihar legislative council — Upper House of the state legislature or Rajya Sabha — Upper House of the Parliament. This may sound bizarre but is true.
In a latest case, the incarcerated RJD chief has picked Khursid Mohsin, his trusted gardener, for the state legislative council, along with his wife Rabri Devi, former Bihar chief minister and two others. Khursid even filed his nomination papers for the council polls on Friday soon after the nomination process began.
As per reports, Khurshid who comes from Nalanda district won favour of the RJD chief by supplying fresh green vegetables to his house everyday without fail for the past 30 years. He has also been helping Prasad’s family with organic farming in their farmhouse.
“I have been rewarded for my service to my leader for 30 years. I come from an ordinary farmer family and grew choice vegetables of Laluji in the sprawling field of his official bungalow,” Khursid told the media on Friday adding he took care of his kitchen garden right from the days Prasad was the chief minister.
According to him, Prasad loves to eat green vegetables like pumpkin and sponge gourd. “Even today, Laluji addresses me as agriculture minister,” he admits.
Before him, Prasad nominated his famous cook Anwar Ahmad to the Legislative council for his brilliant culinary skills. As per reports, Ahmad was an expert in preparing kebabs and Prasad loved it. His cooking skills impressed the RJD chief so much so that he eventually nominated him to the Upper House of the Bihar legislative council in the mid 90s. Even today, Anwar is more popular as “Kebab Mantri” (kebab minister) in the RJD circles.
They are not alone. All those who managed to impress Prasad in any way walked away with tickets for the House. In the early 90s, the RJD chief had sent Brahmdeo Anand Paswan to the Rajya Sabha after he had penned the “Lalu Chalisa” (a forty-line verse) in praise of Prasad.
In the last assembly elections, he gave a ticket to his close aide Bhola Yadav, known as his “Man Friday” in Bihar political circles, and helped him win elections.
Yadav had been managing his personal assignments and also giving advice in political matters, as per reports. His another loyalist Rajniti Prasad who lent him legal help in the fodder scam case was also rewarded with a ticket to Rajya Sabha. The list goes on.
