Shatrughan invites Nitish to release book on him

Patna, Feb 11: In yet another action which could embarrass BJP, actor-turned-party MP Shatrughan Sinha has requested "dear friend" Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to release a book written on him. Sinha, who is at odds with BJP after being sidelined in recent the Bihar Assembly elections, said that he would also invite RJD president Lalu Prasad for the book launch.

Asked if leaders of his own party would be called for the book launch function in Patna, he quipped, "It concerns Art and Culture and not Agriculture.

Only those who deserve would be invited for the function." The book, "Anything but Khamosh", written by a Mumbai based journalist, was first released in Delhi by Sinha's "friend, philosopher and guide" and senior BJP leader L K Advani last month. Sinha said he called on Kumar at his residence for nearly an hour yesterday during which he made the request to him for launching the book in Patna in third week of March, the date of which is yet to be finalised.

Sources close to the actor-turned-BJP leader who were present with him at the time of the meeting said Kumar showed a lot of warmth and acted as a perfect host by coming out and seeing off the BJP MP in his car.

When asked what other issues cropped up during the meeting, Sinha said, "propriety demands secret must be kept secret." Sinha, popularly known as "Bihari Babu", had left BJP leaders fuming over his meeting with Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad separately two days back.

Prasad, accompanied by wife Rabri Devi, exchanged pleasantries with Shatrughan and his elder brother Lakhan Sinha and went for photo-op of the interaction on Tuesday at Patna Airport. Prasad had lauded Sinha for single-handedly taking on the leadership of BJP for trying to sideline him (Sinha).

PTI