Lalu trip grounded

In an overdrive to score over Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in announcing flood relief, RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav, who announced a Rs 90-crore relief fund for Kosi victims, asked his party ministers in the UPA Government to do their bit too. Accordingly, Rural Development Minister Raghuvansh Prasad came up with a Rs 1,600-crore relief package involving infrastructure development, housing and drinking water projects. Lalu also wanted to go to Kathmandu to seek Prime Minister Prachanda8217;s assurance of complete support on the issue. But concerned that he may criticise the Bihar Government on Nepalese soil, thereby providing an opportunity to the Nepalese Government to raise the issue of mismanagement on the Indian side, South Block mandarins spiked the Railway Minister8217;s plan.