Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Lalu Prasad Yadav on Sunday asked coalition partners to prepare for the next “grand alliance” at the Centre ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in 2019. “Delhi will now see the leadership of mahagathbandhan. All coalition partners should start preparations,” Yadav tweeted after Bihar minister Ashok Chaudhary wished him on Twitter.

Lalu, who turned 70 on Sunday, was also wished by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. “We stand in solidarity for the greater cause ahead,” he told the Trinamool Congress chief while thanking her. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar visited Yadav to wish the RJD chief. “He has led a long political life and has contributed a lot to Bihar’s politics and the society,” Kumar said while addressing the reporters, ANI reported.

A “mahagathbandhan” of Janata Dal (United), RJD and Congress had proven to be the road to success in Bihar Assembly elections in 2015 and to beat the Bharatiya Janata Party in polls.