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Bihar NDA leaders stay away from RJD's Sankranti feast

The JD (U), however, late on Saturday night cancelled the Sunday's "dahi-chooda bhoj" in view of the boat tragedy in Ganga river near Patna that claimed 20 lives.

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Former Bihar CM Rabri Devi serving food to BJP leader and Bihar Council Chairman Avdesh Narayan during an event to celebrate Makar Sankranti, in Patna on Saturday
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With friends and foes alike invited for the lavish traditional Makar Sankranti feasts hosted by various political parties, the "dahi-chooda" diplomacy has upped the political temperature in Bihar.

The JD (U), however, late on Saturday night cancelled the Sunday's "dahi-chooda bhoj" in view of the boat tragedy in Ganga river near Patna that claimed 20 lives.

While Congress is peeved at alliance partner JD (U) for extending an invitation to the BJP, its ally of 17-years before the two parted ways in 2013, factions within the BJP are not happy over some senior functionaries agreeing to attend it. "Only the JD (U) will be able to answer why they have invited the BJP," Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee President and state Education Minister Ashok Choudhary said when reporters asked him to comment on it.

"When BJP was not invited for Sankranti or any other celebrations in the last three years, what was the need to invite them this time is something only the state JD (U) chief can reply to," he added. Earlier, on being asked whether Choudhary will participate in the JD (U) feast, he said, "I have received an invite but I have to go to Siwan tomorrow. Let us see what happens."

Choudhary, however, recorded his attendance at the Sankranti feast hosted by the third grand alliance partner RJD, at former CM Lalu Prasad's 10, Circular road residence on Saturday.

Besides senior Mahagathbandhan leaders, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar too savoured "dahi-chooda and tilkut" at RJD's banquet. He was welcomed with a curd "tika" by Lalu, who himself, along with wife and former CM Rabri Devi, served the delicacies to Nitish.

"We are together striving for the development of Bihar," the CM said while interacting with the media after the feast. While the RJD said it had invited "everyone", NDA leaders stayed away. Lalu later said it doesn't matter whether the BJP leaders come or not.

Former Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi said Lalu's PA had invited him and hence he did not go. "I have been invited respectfully by the JD (U) and I will go there on Sunday, unless of course, they withdraw the invitation," he said.

On why he wasn't invited over the last two years, Modi said, "That question will better be answered by the JD (U) leaders."

However, JD (U)'s invite to the BJP is being seen as the latest in the series of events pointing to their increasing proximity in recent days.

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