RJD chief Lalu Prasad offers a piece of birthday cake to his wife Rabri Devi . Picture by Ashok Sinha

Young at heart, RJD chief Lalu Prasad on Monday turned 65 officially. Doing fine, he expects several politicians calling it a day before him.

Cutting a 65-pound cake and offering the first bite to his wife Rabri Devi at 10 Circular Road, the “birthday boy” told The Telegraph: “Even elderly persons remain young at heart. I feel like a child in my heart and will see many (politicians) retire before I call it a day.”

Lalu’s wish to see others hanging their boots before him seems to be inspired by the remark of Bihar deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi that Laluji had become old and was incapable of undertaking intensive campaigning at the grassroots.

Amid flowers and sweets pouring in, the RJD chief said a person changes physically with the age, not mentally.

“A person does not get old in mind and heart, there are physical changes. Haddi idhar se udhar ho jata hai (Bones are frequently displaced). Even Modiji must be aware of the fact. He was my secretary when I was the president of Patna University Students’ Union,” Lalu said, adding that he did not want to react to what Modi had said about him.

Though Lalu turned 65 officially on Monday, he admitted that he was ignorant about his actual age.

“In reality, I do not know about my actual age. My mother could not recall my actual birthday, nor could my elder brothers. When one of my brothers took me to a primary school in Patna for admission, he looked at me and gave a date of birth according to my size. I actually do not know if I am 55 or 65 or 75. Several leaders of the older generation do not know their actual date of birth,” he said.

Lalu said he simply loved celebrating his birthday with his partymen. “It has become a kind of get-together. I get to meet my supporters and members of the media,” he said.

And why not? This year, his party gifted him two SUVs (sports utility vehicles) as he complained that the state government was not providing vehicles for his security cover.

The focus of Lalu even on his birthday was on the man living right across the road at 1 Aney Marg — Nitish Kumar. He is one person the RJD chief would like to see retire politically.

“My birthday coincides with the beginning of my sankalp (resolution) and I will start a padyatra (walk) from Bettiah to Gaya for three central universities in Bihar. Susashan Babu (read Nitish) was missing me and had declared me an NRB (non-resident Bihari). Now I am back and Nitish has become Satak Sita Ram (Silent),” Lalu said.

The RJD chief also questioned Nitish’s equation with Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi. “Nitish is the competent authority to react on the statement of Narendra Modi, the prime ministerial candidate of the BJP, on Bihar. How can Narendra Modi not be the leader of Nitish if he (Nitish) is in the NDA? ” he asked.

Lalu also criticised Nitish for the comment of BJP minister Giriraj Singh comparing the deceased Ranvir Sena chief, Brahmeshwar Singh, with Mahatma Gandhi. “There will be only one Mahatma Gandhi. But the chief minister has not contradicted the statement of the cabinet minister. Does that mean the minister’s statement has the consent of the chief minister?” he asked.

Describing Nitish’s government as an all-round failure, Lalu said he would not demand dismissal of the Nitish government or imposition of President’s Rule in Bihar. “The people will show the door to this government,” he said.

Across the road, Nitish refused to spoil the day of the “birthday boy”. “He (Lalu) is the birthday boy today. I would not like to comment on his statements and spoil his day,” the Bihar chief minister said while holding janata darbar.

Nitish, however, wondered why Lalu was undertaking a yatra for central universities in Bihar. “Laluji is a part of the UPA and is invited to all its functions. He should use his influence to get the central universities for Bihar,” Nitish said.

The birthday bash of Lalu witnessed a series of RJD leaders and supporters trouping in and offering him flowers and sweets. But a few were perturbed over the party gifting him two SUVs on the occasion.

“Laluji is using the party and its funds like personal property. First he named the head office of the party after Rabri Devi, made her an MLC and now got the party to purchase two vehicles for him,” said an RJD leader.