Lalu brand still popular in rural Bihar

Hajipur, Bihar, Jun 09 (UNI) After going through trauma of poll debacle last year, RJD chief Lalu Prasad had bounced back in the rural belt of the state in more than one sense as packets of 'daily use' items branded as ''Lalu Chale Sasural'' were doing brisk business in Vaishali district.

The 'brand value' of Mr. Prasad had always surprised both his admirers and critics but the latest innovative marketing strategy must have been beyond everybodys imagination.

'' It is the brightest idea to sell your goods, '' a villager exclaimed even as cash boxes of shopkeepers kept ringing in various regions of the district, which had just few months back helped Mr Prasad's political adversary as the NDA came to power in the state.

Ordinary items neatly arranged in packets may not impress the elite society too much but for rural folks such items are very attractive. Who knew one day marketing pundits would prefer to brand computers, cell phones and other modern day electronic gadgets against Lalu's name.

The price tag of each packet was just Rs 23 containing several items of daily use like purse, sticker, torch, tasty powder and a necklace of course not of gold.

It was not for the first time that the RJD president helped many manufacturers to boost the sale of their products mainfold after they named items after Lalu.

Who could forget Lalu look alike dolls which was a huge draw among children cutting across all sections of the society last year.

Similarly, stocks of chocolates named after Lalu were emptied out within months after they surfaced in the rural belt of the state.

When a journalist pointed out how his name was used as a brand for selling chocolates, the 'indefatigable' leader commented apparently in a lighter vein, ''Nitish Kumar should inquire into the matter''.

Top brains of IIMs had held meetings with Mr Prasad few months back to undertand his strategy how he brought a turnaround in the railways which was making huge profits under his stewardship.

'' Whether management teachers of foreign universities were aware of Mr Prasad's ingenuity, '' a local academician commented perhaps summing up the upbeat mood over the Lalu brand now glutting rural Bihar markets.

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