Patna: Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Tejashwi Prasad Yadav and his older brother Tej Pratap Yadav took part in a protest march held as part of their party's Bihar bandh on Thursday.

Party chief Lalu Prasad, however, did not take part in the sand policy protests.

"He has health issues that's why he did not participate, however it is not necessary because Lalu Prasad is an ideology and people follow him blindly," Tejashwi said.

Tejashwi reached the party office on Beer Chand Patel Marg at 10:20am. Party workers and leaders including RJD Bihar president Ram Chandra Purbey were waiting for him. RJD workers armed with bamboo sticks were busy stopping passers-by.

Tejashwi was given a party flag and started his march from the office along with other leaders.

The Beer Chand Patel Marg was completely blocked when the RJD leaders were holding their protest mach.

RJD national vice-president Raghuvansh Prasad Singh was also part of the march. When Tejashwi reached Income Tax roundabout, Tej Pratap joined him along with more supporters. Shibli Nomani, deputy superintendent of police (DSP), law and order, was present at the roundabout with a strong police contingent.

The roundabout was completely crippled; no vehicle could move. Rebel JDU leader and former minister Ramai Ram was sitting on dharna bang on the road along with supporters.

Soon, a minivan with RJD posters and a public address system arrived. Tej Pratap climbed on top of the minivan, took the microphone and shouted slogans against Nitish. "Poor people are dying and lakhs people of have become jobless but Nitish Kumar's government does not care about anyone and is sitting idle," Tej Pratap declared.

Then Tej Pratap and Tejashwi started walking towards Dakbungalow roundabout, where they reached around 11am.

Tejashwi said the state's decision on sand mining was confusing. The government on Wednesday reverted to the old sand mining policy.

"Nitishji is a big fraud," Tejashwi said. "He should tell the people of Bihar that he has made a mistake. Nitish ji should also announce compensation for the poor people rendered jobless in the past six months."

Many party leaders, including Tejashwi and Tej Pratap, then courted arrest. They were taken to Kotwali police station for an hour and offered tea and biscuits in the presence of DSP Nomani, asked to fill form 41A of the CrPC and asked to leave.

RJD workers kept raising slogans against Nitish inside the police station.