RJD, a Grand Alliance partner in Bihar, today protested the exclusion of the name of Deputy Chief Minister Tejaswi Prasad Yadav from the invitation card issued for the inaugural function of the three-day Bihar foundation day.
Neither Deputy Chief Minister Tejaswi Prasad Yadav nor his father and RJD President Lalu Prasad were present at the function, which began yesterday, to celebrate the 105th year of the foundation of Bihar.
Chief minister Nitish Kumar was the chief guest at the programme.
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RJD ministers Shiv Chander Ram and Ram Vichar Rai were , however, present at the dais with the chief minister.
The Bihar Day function is organised by Education department, the portfolio of which is held by Ashok Choudhary of Congress, another Grand Alliance partner.
RJD state spokesman Mritunjay Tiwari told PTI, the exclusion of the Deputy Chief Minister's name from the invitation card was a "big lapse" which should be probed and action should be taken against officials responsible for it.
Though former Chief Minister and the Deputy CM's mother Rabri Devi refused to speak on the matter, RJD MLAs Bhai Birendra and Shakti Singh Yadav voiced their protest and sought action against the concerned officials.
Bhai Birendra said, "RJD is the largest constituent of the Grand Alliance, hence its respect should be kept in mind in any official function".
Senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi said none from Lalu Prasad's family attended the function due to the "boycotting" of the Deputy Chief Minister.
"While the Chief Minister's photograph is missing from advertisments of any official function of the Road Construction department, a portfolio held by the Deputy CM, likewise the latter finds no place in such an important function, where the chief minister is the chief guest," Sushil Modi told reporters
His party colleague, Nand Kishore Yadav said, "There is something wrong in the coalition".
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