Patna: RJD chief Lalu Prasad marked a low-key birthday away from the media's glare on Monday, by cutting a cake at son Tejashwi Prasad Yadav's 5 Deshratna Marg residence when the clock struck midnight.
In other years, Lalu used to cut the cake and personally offer it to visitors at his 10 Circular Road residence. But this time the celebrations were subdued.
His well-wishers turned up at the 10 Circular Road residence but were directed to 5 Deshratna Marg. They all prayed for his long life.
Many leaders, including chief minister Nitish Kumar, Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, Congress president Rahul Gandhi and others wished Lalu over Twitter on his 71st birthday. Because of curbs imposed by the court, Lalu did not respond to those tweets but his younger son Tejashwi thanked everyone. Lalu's friend-turned-foe Nitish prayed for his speedy recovery. The RJD chief is suffering from multiple diseases.
In the morning, former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi visited Lalu's residence and wished him, saying he is a very strong person and will recover soon.
Sources said Lalu began the day by praying. Rabri sat next to him through the day. After taking his insulin injection, Lalu had his breakfast of sprouted moong and chana, two boiled eggs, daliya and curd with a spoon of table salt.
"After Lalu ji finished his meal, his elder son, Tej Pratap, arrived to greet him. He gifted him a white gamcha and dhoti before touching his feet," said a senior RJD leader who was present at 10 Circular Road. "Laluji kissed Tej Pratap and recalled how an earlier photograph of him kissing Tej Pratap during his Delhi visit had become very popular."
Tej Pratap, Tejashwi and Rabri had arrived at 5 Deshratna Marg around 11.30pm on Sunday to cut a 71-pound green-coloured cake shaped like a hurricane lamp.
RLSP chief Upendra Kushwaha and deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi also wished Lalu. "When Lalu ji was President of Patna Univ Student's Union I was GS of that Union in 1973.He was CM & I was LoP.My best wishes to Laluji on his Birthday," Sushil tweeted.
