Not attending Sonia Gandhi's Iftaar party: Lalu

Patna, July 10: RJD chief Lalu Prasad today rejected reports that he was not attending 'iftaar' party hosted by Congress President Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi on July 13 over differences cropping up between the two parties.

"I was invited by Soniaji to the 'iftaar' being hosted by her in Delhi. I respectfully conveyed that I'll not be able to attend it as our Raj Bhawan march is scheduled on July 13 to demand release of socio-economic caste census figures. Apart from this, we are also hosting 'iftaar' the same day," Prasad told PTI.

The RJD chief said people were "wrongly attributing meanings and motives" to his inability to attend Gandhi's 'iftaar' party, and were playing in the hands of forces opposed to his party.

"If the dates did not clash, I would have certainly went to Delhi to attend it," Prasad said.

"While expressing my inability to attend the 'iftaar', I also said that I'll be sending my representatives to attend it. I have already deputed our MPs - Prem Chandra Gupta and Jayprakash Narayan Yadav for it," he said.

Prasad also said that he had talked to Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar about the clash of dates of 'iftaar' and suggested to him to attend Gandhi's 'iftaar' so that all speculations were buried.

The veteran politician will lead a march of his party supporters from Kargil Chowk in the state capital to the Raj Bhawan on July 13 to demand release of socio-economic caste census figures, which, he alleged, the Centre was not releasing for its "selfish interests."

PTI