Nitish, Manjhi attend Lalu's iftar party; sit side by side

Cutting across party lines, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi and noted lawyer and RJD MP Ram Jethmalani attended an iftar party thrown by RJD supremo Lalu Prasad here today.
Many prominent leaders were present at the iftar party hosted at the bungalow alloted to Lalu's elder son and state health minister Tej Pratap Yadav.
Speaker of state Assembly Vijay Kumar Chaudhary and Chairman of Legislative Council Awadhesh Narain Singh were present on the occasion.
After a long time, Nitish Kumar and Manjhi sat side by side and both the leaders said it was a social occasion in which presence of people from different parties and walks of life was obvious.

"It is a social occasion which everybody attends," Kumar told reporters when asked about him being with Manjhi, his protege-turned-bitter rival.
Kumar greeted Lalu for the iftar party.

Manjhi also told reporters that "such an event should not be seen through political glasses."
Manjhi, chief of Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM), an ally of the BJP, said he attended the function as Lalu had also attended a similar function organised by him recently.
Lalu played a perfect host to all dignitaries and people who came on the occasion and was seen moving around to ensure every one was at ease.
The RJD president told reporters he had invited BJP leaders too "but, they absented fearing expulsion from the party."

Noted lawyer Ram Jethmalani, who was made a Rajya Sabha member by the RJD recently, sat by Lalu's side.
Wife Rabri Devi, MP daughter Misa Bharti, younger son and deputy chief minister Tejaswi Yadav and Tej Pratap joined Lalu in welcoming the guests and mingled with the guests.