Lalu Prasad and his son Tejashwi

New Delhi, April 19: When Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad spat venom at the Indian Premier League (IPL) in the Lok Sabha today, he was speaking more as the father of his cricketer-son, Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, than as a politician.

Despite the pulls and pressures exerted by Lalu Prasad, Tejashwi faces an uncertain future in the game.

The aspirations of Tejashwi, who is a little over 20, were said to have fired Lalu Prasad’s love for cricket — a game the leader would have otherwise despised because of his socialist roots and training.

However, Tejashwi has now been forced to retreat close to homeland Bihar, and play for the Jharkhand team after experiencing failure in Delhi. Tejashwi was included, allegedly because of Lalu Prasad’s influence, in the Delhi Daredevils during IPL I, but could never get a chance to play as he was part of the 31-member reserve team.

“In the IPL, they don’t give opportunity to budding players but mislead them. My son was there and I had seen him getting water and towels during break. Just imagine a Yadav’s son being made to serve water and towels,” Lalu Prasad declared amid peals of laughter from the members.

However, the RJD chief ha been full of hope for his son when he had turned up at the Kotla stadium in Delhi during IPL I. “Even if he (son) does not get a chance to play, he will at least serve water to the team members,” he had said then.

An MP summed up the diatribe thus. “He (Lalu Prasad) hit out like the father of a deprived son,” he said.

Lalu Prasad, who like his son faces an uncertain political future, alleged that the IPL had become a “gambling and betting business” and urged the government to take over the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

His anger at the BCCI is also understandable, said political observers. As railway minister and a powerful member of UPA I, Lalu Prasad had allegedly had used his clout to get his son included in the India under-19 cricket squad in 2008, but could not push to get his son to be part of the playing eleven.

Tejashwi was part of the team led by Virat Kohli that won the under-19 world cup in 2008 but could not claim credit as he never got a chance to play. Politicians in Delhi still remember how Lalu Prasad used to virtually breathe down BCCI president Sharad Pawar’s neck at every cabinet meeting to get his son included in the playing team.

Tejashwi joined the Jharkhand team late last year, after the setbacks in Delhi. Contacted today, he refused comment on the allegations surrounding the IPL but said he had retreated to Jharkhand as Delhi was “packed with players”.

“Delhi was packed. There are too many players in the Delhi team and also my studies in Jharkhand were over, so I returned and joined the Jharkhand state team,” Tejashwi said over the phone when asked about his decision to leave Delhi.

Asked about his father’s allegations against the IPL, he said: “I cannot comment on what goes on behind the scenes. However I feel that in the IPL, shuffling of players should be done and budding cricketers should be given an opportunity.”

Pity Tejashwi cannot represent Bihar. Lalu Prasad is still the president of Bihar Cricket Association, but the body has not been recognised by the BCCI. After several attempts by the leader, the association is recognised as an associate member of the BCCI but not as a full-fledged member for it to qualify to have a state team for Ranji matches.