RJD chief Lalu Prasad serves dahi chuda to chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi at the official residence of Rabri Devi in Patna on Wednesday. Picture by Deepak Kumar

Makar Sankranti helped JDU and RJD politicians socialise and enjoy dahi-chuda (curd with beaten rice) as they head towards a merger.

Former chief minister Nitish Kumar missed it, being down with fever. But Lalu visited Nitish’s 7 Circular Road residence to inquire after him.

There were two feasts in the day, one thrown by RJD chief Lalu Prasad at his 10 Circular Road residence and another by JDU state chief Bashishtha Narayan Singh at the New Patna Club.

Just last February, Lalu had marched 2km from his 10 Circular Road resident to the Assembly with hundreds of supporters and submitted a petition against Speaker Uday Narayan Chaudhary to then governor D.Y. Patil. They had shouted slogans against Nitish and Chaudhary during the march. The provocation was Chaudhary’s notification declaring 13 of 22 RJD MLAs as “unattached” members.

All that was forgotten on Wednesday when Lalu welcomed the Speaker with a smile and ensured he enjoyed dahi-chuda with pumpkin curry. Lalu was seen instructing all to serve the guest well.

Asked about his visit to Lalu’s place, Chaudhary said: “Our leaders, Nitishji and Laluji, have joined hands to defeat the communal forces and they will succeed too.”

Lalu was so busy, he could not tell worker from minister. Agriculture minister Narendra Singh and his eldest son, Jamui MLA Ajay Pratap, were among the guests. Taking Pratap for a party worker, Lalu told him in his trademark style: “Chaliye yahaan se jaakar khaiye (Go from here and eat).”

The MLA seemed embarrassed, but Lalu soon realised who he was. “Oh, tum ho, hum dekhe hi nahi (Oh, it’s you. I didn’t recognise at first),” said Lalu before taking him to the table to join the feast.

Lalu’s eldest son Tej Pratap had recently shared the dais with Narendra at a government function where he even cut the ribbon with the latter.

Lalu’s importance in the face of the pending merger was evident as chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi first visited his residence, at 11.30am.

Lalu was sitting with former MP Prabhu Nath Singh and Rajya Sabha MP Prem Gupta when Manjhi walked up to him, hands folded in greeting. Lalu immediately stood up and asked Prabhu Nath to vacate his chair for the chief minister. The two interacted for around five minutes before Lalu asked RJD MLC Bhola Yadav to make arrangements for Manjhi.

Within minutes, a plate of food arrived. Lalu asked Manjhi to join the feast and Prabhu Nath to sit next to him. He himself remained standing near the table, serving curd, till Manjhi finished his meal.

The 70-year-old chief minister’s appetite was undiminished. From Lalu’s place he rushed to New Patna Club where he had the same quantity of dahi-chuda.

At the club, Bashishtha played host to, among others, JDU president Sharad Yadav and water resources minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary.