Lalu Prasad Yadav’s son Tejaswi is Bihar deputy chief minister

On Friday, Tejashwi was the second leader of the Grand Alliance to take the oath after Chief Minister Nitish Kumar at the swearing-in ceremony. Being close to then veteran Congress leader Anugrah Narayan Sinha (grandfather of former Kerala Governor Nikhil Kumar), Babu sought ticket from Congress to contest polls in 1952 and 1957.

In the late-evening allocation of portfolios, Tejaswi Yadav, the younger son of Lalu Prasad, became Deputy Chief Minister.

The event was attended by a galaxy of political leaders including Chief Ministers Mamata Banerjee (West Bengal) and Arvind Kejriwal (Delhi), Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, who reached the venue a few 30 minutes after the event began, CPI-M general secretary Sitaram Yechury and former prime minister H.D. Deve Gowda.

Apart from Mr. Kumar, the Ministry includes 12 members each from the JD (U) and RJD and four from the Congress. Tej Pratap, Lalu’s older son, is also a part of the ministry and has been entrusted with the portfolio of health, among others.

As a outcome, the 1951-born Nitish, after becoming a teenager, developed a strong disliking for Congress party.

“We will try to stand true on the expectations of the public in taking Bihar forward on the path of development”, Tejaswi Yadav, who was flanked by Tej Pratap, said.

At 26 he probably is the youngest deputy chief minister in the country.

In a press note, Nagaland State Unit of JD(U) president Mhonjan Lotha expressed the hope that the new government led by dynamic leadership of Nitish Kumar would be able to fulfil the hopes and aspirations of common people in the state.

Seven more ministers can be accommodated in the cabinet as under the constitutional provision a maximum of 15 per cent ministers of the total strength of the house is allowed.

JD(U) woman minister Manju Varma has been given charge of social welfare department. Just as Lalu Yadav used his time as railway minister to change his “Jungle Raj” image, Tejaswi knows his benefit of youth can help him completely turn around the image of Bihar’s number one Yadav clan. In short, he will be the second-in-command in the Grand Alliance government in Bihar.

“Will miss the ceremony, but Nitishbabu & Laluji, I remain a well-wisher, admirer and friend…and remember, once a friend, always a friend”, he tweeted.