Tej Pratap Yadav turns entrepreneur, takes to manufacturing incense sticks

PATNA: RJD chief and former Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad has got an entrepreneur in his family: his son Tej Pratap Yadav has got into the business of manufacturing incense sticks with the brand name ‘L&R’ (Lalu- Rabri).

Tej Pratap shared information about the incense sticks being marketed in Patna on Wednesday. A manufacturing unit has been set up in the Danapurbased cattle shed of Lalu Prasad where a range of perfumed incense sticks are made with organic material such as flowers dumped outside temples. “Flowers offered in temples are collected and with the help of essential oils are converted into incense.

The holding straws are not of bamboo but of coconut leaves without scented chemicals,” he said. The brand name of ‘LR’ is explained as an abbreviated form of ‘Longest and Rich.’ But party sources said it stands for ‘Lalu-Rabri’ (Tej Pratap’s parents). The incense sticks are interestingly named Krishna Leela Agarbatti, Barsana Agarbatti and Sewa Kunj Agarbatti.

Tej Pratap has often drawn eyeballs for his eccentric ways, such as dressing and acting like Lord Krishna. “The owner often comes to the cowshed to monitor the production. The entire facility is under CCTV surveillance and Tej Pratap himself keeps an eye through his mobile phone,” said an employee at the Danapur unit. “We supply the incense sticks to retailers and stockists across the country.” A supporter of Tej Pratap remarked jocularly that the product could eventually challenge products sold in the name of yoga guru Ramdev.