Go Ahead With Son's Wedding, No Fear: Lalu Yadav's Son to Sushil Modi

Patna: Lalu Yadav and his son Tej Pratap Yadav on Sunday brushed aside BJP's concerns of disruptions at the wedding of the son of Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Modi. While Tej Pratap Yadav - who had issued threats when invited to the wedding - said his statement should not have been taken "literally", his father indicated the BJP had got scared over a trifle.  

"I am not a criminal or terrorist. Whatever I said at a public meeting should not have been taken literally by Modi. He should go ahead with the wedding without any worry or fear," Tej Pratap Yadav said.

"Tej Pratap had just made a hissing sound. And these people got so scared. They should go ahead with the wedding. Our best wishes are with them," Lalu Yadav said.

Three days ago, Tej Pratap Yadav, a minister till July in the Grand Alliance government headed by Nitish Kumar, had talked tough when invited to the wedding of Utkarsh Modi, slated for December 3.  "If I attend, I will enter his house and beat him up. If I go to his son's marriage, I will expose him," Tej Pratap Yadav had said. It is not known if there was any immediate provocation.

Mr Modi currently occupies the post Tej Pratap Yadav's brother Tejashwi Yadav occupied before Mr Kumar ended the Grand Alliance over corruption charges against Lalu Yadav and his family and joined hands with the BJP. Sushil Modi was the BJP leader who had made the allegations and supplied what he called "evidence".

After Tej Pratap Yadav's remarks, Sushil Modi had to change the venue of the wedding, the BJP had said. The ceremony, the statement said, would be conducted at the Veterinary College Ground instead of Shakha Maidan, which was close to Mr Modi 's ancestral house in Patna.

Mr Modi on Sunday said he did not wish to "prolong" the controversy.