LALU'S HORSE TRADING

Lalu's horse now in rival party MLA's hands

Patna: Railway Minister Lalu Prasad's prized possession — a horse which responds only to English commands — finally found a new master on Sunday.

'Pawan,' who was on display for the last three days at one of Asia's biggest cattle fairs in Bihar's Sonepur, on Sunday finally landed at JD (U) MLA Anant Singh's stable after a detour — first going to a farmer who bought it for Rs 1.1 lakh and then to the MLA for Rs 1.11 lakh.

Though a price tag of Rs 1,51,000 was fixed for Pawan, farmer Baleshwar Rai bought the horse at a lower price. Rai lives at Bidupur in the Raghoupur constituency of former chief minister Rabri Devi — a factor which worked in favour of his lower bid.

The JD (U) MLA from Mokama in rural Patna, Anant Singh, who had earlier unsuccessfully tried to purchase the horse from Baleshwar Rai, got it later for Rs 1.11 lakh.

"Rs1.11 lakh is a small price for this horse. It caught my attention and I could have bought it even at Rs 50 lakh," the MLA, known for his strongarm ways, told reporters after alighting from the horse at his spacious bungalow in Patna.

Pawan, who, his trainer claims, can race against a Bolero on a smooth road, can follow only English commands like "Stand Up," "Sit Down" and "Go Faster," which put off most bidders at the auction.