Ram Vilas Paswan flays Lalu Prasad's claim

Patna: Union minister and Lok Janshakti Party chief Ramvilas Paswan on Monday described as "false and mischievous" RJD president Lalu Prasad Yadav's claim that he (Paswan) had "endorsed" the latter's views on Bihar outperforming BJP-ruled states in terms of development.

"I have just read in newspapers that I have liked the tweet of Lalu Prasad Yadav, which is totally false and mischievous," Paswan said in a tweet.

"I don't read the tweet of Lalu Prasad Yadav as he is never serious in his statements," Paswan said in a rejoinder.

"What to talk of development in Bihar, not even a single needle factory has been established during the regime of Lalu, Nitish & Rabri Devi," the Union Food and Consumers Affairs minister said in a bid to puncture Prasad's claim of Bihar making rapid stride on the path of development and outperforming the states ruled by BJP.

Prasad had thanked Paswan for "liking" his tweet praising Bihar's grand alliance government, in which his RJD is a partner, for registering a 15.6 per cent growth rate and outperforming the "so-called developed states" being ruled by 'mangalraj wale' (apparently referring to BJP).

"As compared to so-called famous states, Bihar has registered a 15.6 per cent growth...," the RJD supremo had tweeted.

The RJD chief's gesture of thanking Paswan for "endorsing" his views hogged limelights in the newspapers and triggered political discussion if bonhomie was returning between the two prominent rival leaders of Bihar.