Patna, Nov. 23 (The Telegraph): Call it family values or finger firmly on the remote control, Lalu Prasad won't let his minister sons venture far from his shadow.

Even though the sons - deputy chief minister Tejaswi and health, minor water resources, forests and environment minister Tej Pratap - are entitled to ministerial bungalows, the father and party chief will not allow them to shift to their new houses, RJD sources said.

"Lalu ji and Rabriji have always been protective towards their children but the situation is different as both the brothers have become ministers," said a highly placed source in the party, on condition of anonymity. "They will have to meet a cross-section of people while handling their respective departments. Lalu ji thinks that they are too young to deal with outside forces and there are people waiting for an opportunity to malign the family image and the party. Laluji does not want to take any chances and has decided to keep both of them at 10 Circular Road itself."

Lalu has always been extra cautious as far as his children are concerned. Often, he does not allow them to interact with strangers who visit 10 Circular Road. Many a time, Lalu even tells reporters not to talk to his sons, lest a controversy erupt.

On Friday, soon after they were sworn in as ministers, a few reporters asked Lalu to send both of his sons to a separate corner to field questions from the press. "Whatever you want to ask or interact has to be here itself, in front of me. They will not go anywhere," Lalu was quick to respond, the smile on his face intact.

RJD sources said one of the reasons Lalu does not want the sons to stay separately is because he wants to train them in statecraft.

"Both have become ministers at a very young age," pointed out the RJD source. "In case of Tejaswi ji, he is the youngest deputy chief minister the country has ever had. Laluji wants to teach them the art of dealing with the bureaucracy and also with different people. Lalu ji is a seasoned politician and he wants his children to inculcate his political understanding. That's the reason he wants them to spend as much time with him as possible so he can train them to face both bad and good days."

Tejaswi confirmed that he would stay with his parents.

"No, I will not shift to any ministerial bungalow and I will stay here only," the deputy chief minister told The Telegraph at his 10 Circular Road residence. "There is no need of shifting. As far as getting the ministerial bungalow is concerned, I will use that for the official purpose to dispose of the work. I will work there, as I would have my independence. I will use the official residence solely for work purposes."

Incidentally, Tejaswi also holds the building construction department portfolio that allots bungalows to ministers. The Assembly Speaker distributes houses to the MLAs.

Photo credit: The Telegraph