Narendra Modi calls up hurt Lalu, says get well soon

Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi, on Saturday, joined Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and a galaxy of other top leaders in wishing a speedy recovery to RJD chief Lalu Prasad, who was suffered minor injuries in a freak mishap Friday night.

Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi, on Saturday, joined Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and a galaxy of other top leaders in wishing a speedy recovery to RJD chief Lalu Prasad, who was suffered minor injuries in a freak mishap Friday night.

HT Image

Modi, often lambasted by Prasad for his 'communal' politics, called the RJD boss to inquire about the accident and wished him a full recovery.

A close aide of Prasad told HT, Modi advised Prasad it was a good omen that he had gotten away with minor injuries. "Bura grah kat gaya, he told Laluji," the aide said.

The RJD chief, in turn, profusely thanked Modi for his concern. "It is nice of you to take the trouble of calling me."

After talking to Yadav, Modi tweeted: "Spoke to Lalu ji this morning asking him about his health after an accident yesterday. Hope he gets back to the best of the health soon."

In Gujarat political circles Modi's gesture is being seen as a move to rile Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, who has emerged as a stumbling block on Modi's way to national politics.

Though officials in the CM's office said, "There is nothing political about it", a minister in Modi's cabinet quipped: "Now he is a national leader so he has to show statesmanship in dealing with other national leaders".

Earlier, the RJD chief received a call from the Prime Minister, who, too, inquired after Prasad's health and wellbeing.

Prasad was hit by shards of broken glass Friday night when the windscreen of his hi-tech SUV broke after the vehicle hit a gap between barrels of a makeshift pontoon bridge connecting Patna to Raghopur diara.