Lalu's favourite 'sattoo' to miss RJD's national convention

Varanasi, Aug 24 (UNI) 'Sattoo,' the staple and endeared diet of Railway Minister Lalu Prasad will have no presence at his party's two-day national convention starting here tomorrow, even as the RJD eyes conquering the political space of Bhojpuri speaking Uttar Pradesh by giving a call for a separate 'Purvanchal' state.

''It is true Laluji's favourite sattoo (flour made from chana) will not feature at all in the plain culinary offerings awaiting to tickle the taste-buds of over 20,000 delegates likely to attend the two-day RJD national convention beginning near the world famous Buddhist pilgrimage of Sarnath here tomorrow,'' party's national media convenor Muktinath Upadhayay told UNI here this evening.

We regret that preparations made out of sattoo will not be there at the menu which comprise plain but spicy 'Roti-Poori, Tarkari and Daal' that will feed the thought of the delegates from across the country including the RJD supremo, his better half and former chief minister Rabri Devi, besides union ministers and party MLAs from five states,'' Mr Upadhayay said.

''It will be difficult to cater through sattoo preparations such a large gathering at the makeshift venue Purvanchal Nagar, set up on 4.5 acre land for the two days near Sarnath,'' he added.

Be it the markets of Lahore or address to the management students of India and abroad, but the inimitable politician from Bihar has never forgotten to either carry 'sattoo' or share its power with his audiences.

'Sattoo' in all forms is also the staple diet of the Bhojpuri speaking belt of UP, especially among the people from the lower income class, who form the nucleus of the RJD supremo's support base in Bihar.

Interestingly, the Purvanchal Nagar convention will provide the ideal starting platform for the party to give a call for a separate Purvanchal state to be created out of 19 East UP districts with Varanasi as its capital.

MORE UNI