Lalu in trouble: Tax men behind RJD leader after Cong snub

New Delhi, May 17: After being snubbed by the Congress, Bihar strongman Lalu Prasad Yadav is being needled by the income tax department.

The income tax department has served a notice to Lalu Prasad's Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and has asked for details of funds spent for the party's Parivartan rally held in Patna on May 15.

Thousands of RJD supporters had come to Patna's Gandhi Maidan, which was soaked in RJD posters and flags. The party workers had come to the Bihar capital on the 13 trains that were specially booked by the RJD. The party had paid the railways Rs. 1.11 crore for this.

This kind of expenses has raised the attention of the income tax department. "The IT department wants to know about all the expenses incurred in connection with the (RJD's) rally," said Prashant Bhusan, an IT department official.

The department wants to know about the payments made to contractors, railways, transporters, catering service providers, besides the money spent on banners, flags, hoardings, posters and temporary shelters.

Though the rally was billed as bringing change in Bihar, it was a vehicle to install Lalu Yadav's two sons, Tejpratap and Tejasvi, as his political heirs.

Last year, the IT department had served a similar notice to the Bihar's ruling Janata Dal-United in connection with its Adhikar rally held in the city Nov 4.

Meanwhile, the Congress on Wednesday dumped Lalu Prasad Yadav for the upcoming byelection in Bihar.

Congress spokesperson Shakeel Ahmed said the party has decided to fight the Maharajganj Lok Sabha bypolls alone in order to test its strength in Bihar. "Our view is to not align with any party in Bihar," he said.