The Assembly on Wednesday had an unusual visitor - a tea-seller from Katihar. What gave 55-year-old Mangal Yadav the opportunity was his unwavering devotion for Lalu Prasad.
Muzaffarpur resident Mangal sells tea at Katihar railway station, around 325km east of Patna, and diligently collects newspaper cuttings related to the RJD chief. He is unlettered, but gets others to read the news about Lalu to him.
Lalu's youngest son and deputy chief minister Tejaswi had heard about Mangal during campaigning for the Assembly elections last year. On Wednesday, Tejaswi arranged for Mangal to be brought to Patna for the day.
Mangal and his son, AashNarayan Yadav, reached 10 Circular Road around 9.30am and received a grand welcome. Tejaswi then took them to the Assembly in his official car.
Dressed in a kurta-pyjama with a green gamchha around his neck and a special pass in hand, Mangal settled down in the VVIP gallery in the House to watch the proceedings.
The tea-seller, who considers Lalu his God, proceeded to Tejaswi's chamber later. "During the Assembly election, I came to know about this man who is a great fan of my father," Tejaswi told The Telegraph. "He is not educated but keeps newspaper cuttings related to Lalu ji. He asks others to read news in the paper where he spots a photograph of my father. I asked our Barari MLA Niraj Kumar to arrange to bring Mangal to Patna."
In the chamber, Tejaswi offered Mangal sweets and asked his private assistant, Mani Yadav, to call Lalu in Delhi.
"Papa, remember I told you about this RJD follower who is a big fan of yours? Right now he is sitting in front of me. He worships you, speak to him," Tejaswi told his father, before handing the phone to Mangal.
" Saheb pranam, aap to mere bhagwan hai, hum aapki hi puja karte hai, aaj hum bahut khush hai, bhagwan aapko aur apke baccho ko aur tarikke de (Sir, you are my god and I worship you. I am very happy. May God keep on blessing you and your children)," Mangal said, his voice choking.
He said Lalu asked him in Bhojpuri about his experience in Patna and the Assembly, and if he enjoyed himself.
Tea-seller Mangal has no love lost for the country's most famous tea-seller claimant, Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "I had heard that Modi ji would give job to 2 crore youths but my 25-year-old son is unemployed even though is educated," Mangal said. "I have asked him (his son) to join me in selling tea on the platform."
"These people, who are dedicated supporters without any political ambition, are the real backbone of the party," the deputy CM said later.
"There are many supporters and workers in the party but the reason behind meeting this person was he is true from the heart. It is because of such people, the RJD has come to power."
Tejaswi did not let go of the opportunity to attack the Prime Minister. "You can understand the anger of people like Mangal who are feeling cheated," he said. "Narendra Modi ji did not deliver on anything he promised in the Assembly or Lok Sabha election."
