Patna, Jan. 15: Lalu Prasad will take guard as the RJD's national president next Tuesday for the ninth time.

Unlike previous years when it used to be a routine announcement followed by a speech from Lalu, the RJD this time has elaborate plans.

Flower petals will be showered on Lalu at nine places en route to the venue (SK Memorial Hall) where he'll formally take charge of the RJD for the ninth time. Old timers said this is the first time that Lalu would take charge on such a huge scale.

Supporters will shower Lalu's cavalcade with flowers outside 10 Circular Road, Lalit Bhavan, Punaichak, Hartali Mor, Income Tax roundabout, Dakbungalow roundabout, JP roundabout, Magadh Mahila College and outside SK Memorial Hall.

"It will be like a coronation," said an RJD leader, stressing that the celebrations were spurred by the party's spectacular return to power after being out in the cold for a decade.

The opposition did not miss the opportunity to needle Lalu. "Perhaps Lalu ji wants to follow the path of his samdhi (relative by marriage) Mulayam Singh Yadav by organising a bash," said senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi.

The RJD's state unit president, Ram Chandra Purbey, said: "There is great enthusiasm among the RJD workers and leaders. The party's youth wing has organised the flower programme. We want Lalu to feel the love the workers have for him."

The party has announced the two-day national council meet on Saturday, followed by national convention meet-cum-open convention on Sunday in which Lalu will officially be announced the RJD's national president.

The mandate given to the Grand Alliance, and Lalu's comeback to power after 10 years has changed a lot for the RJD.

Veteran RJD leader, and now finance minister, Abdul Bari Siddiqui said: "The Grand Alliance has formed the government with a huge mandate in which the performance of Lalu ji is bigger. There is happiness among his supporters and they want to express it in a big manner. That is why such a programme has been organised. We all know he will be elected the national president and we just want to make him happy."

RJD spokesperson Mirtunjay Tiwari said: "The party is leaving no stone unturned to make this function memorable. It will be the biggest programme of the RJD in the history of the party and we have every reason to celebrate."