The Hindu : National : Forgetting the political divide

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Friday, Jun 24, 2005

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National

Forgetting the political divide

— Photo: R.V. Moorthy

PARTY TIME FOR ALL PARTIES: Congress president Sonia Gandhi with Railway Minister Lalu Prasad at the wedding reception of Ram Vilas Paswan's daughter in New Delhi on Thursday .

NEW DELHI: Transcending differences, top political leaders, on Thursday night, attended the wedding of Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan's daughter Nisha where the Lok Jan Shakthi Party leader's arch rival Lalu Prasad was the cynosure of all eyes.

Reading like a list of who's who of the capital's VIPs, those who blessed Nisha and bridegroom Arun, son of senior Bihar Congress leader Jyoti, included Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his wife Gurusharan Kaur, United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi and her daughter Priyanka along with husband Robert Vadra.

However, the wait of media persons, particularly camera persons, for a prized shot ended when Mr. Prasad turned up with a couple of his RJD colleagues in the Cabinet, sending a message that the political divide between him and Mr. Paswan did not come in the way of a social event like this.

Mr. Prasad also exchanged pleasantries with his friend-turned-foe Ranjan Yadav before leaving the venue of the high-profile wedding — the sprawling 12, Janpath next to Sonia's residence.

Besides a host of Union Ministers including Shivraj Patil, P. Chidambaram, Governors of Bihar and Jharkhand — Buta Singh and Syed Sibtey Razi respectivley, were present.

Former Prime Minister V.P. Singh was also present. — PTI

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