Lalu Prasad Yadav, the former Chief Minister of Bihar and a significant figure in the state’s political landscape, appears to have taken action against his son, Tej Pratap Yadav, by removing him from both the party and the family. This decision followed the circulation of a controversial photo featuring Tej Pratap with Anushka Yadav. Tej Pratap has been using social media to communicate his feelings and share political messages, often referencing his parents and posing in front of a portrait of Lalu Prasad Yadav.
Tej Pratap posted a picture of his father, Lalu Prasad Yadav, on social media. In the image, Tej Pratap is standing below a picture of Lalu Prasad Yadav. He accompanied the image with a message: ‘The darker the night, the closer the dawn.’ In the image, Tej Pratap Yadav has his arms outstretched, showing his eagerness for a comeback. The main question remains: Will Lalu Yadav, known for his forgiving nature, extend forgiveness to Tej Pratap this time?
Lalu Prasad Yadav seemingly removed his elder son, Tej Pratap, from both the family and the party. This decision is linked to the upcoming Bihar elections, with Anushka Yadav, reportedly Tej Pratap Yadav’s girlfriend, at the center of the issue. It is believed that Tej Pratap has married Anushka Yadav, while his existing marriage to Aishwarya Yadav is still under judicial review. Consequently, the public appearance of Tej Pratap with Anushka is viewed as potentially damaging to Lalu’s political standing. Recognizing the importance of public conduct and family unity, Lalu Prasad Yadav acted as the head of the party and family.
The strong reactions and complaints from Aishwarya, Tej Pratap’s wife, are creating problems for the RJD’s political dynamics and increasing the risk of voters distancing themselves from the party. Seeing the impact on Tejashwi Yadav’s campaign, Lalu Yadav took strong action against Tej Pratap.
Tej Pratap Yadav, now outside of the Lalu family and RJD, is seeking a return. A week after Lalu’s decision, Tej Pratap Yadav reacted. On social media, he wrote, ‘My dear Mummy-Papa… my whole world is within you both; you are more than God. You are all I have; I only need your trust and love, not anything else. Papa, without you, there would be no party, and no greedy people like some Jaychands doing politics with me. Just Mummy-Papa, may you both always be healthy and happy.’
Tej Pratap did not mention any of his siblings. He later wrote another post focused on his younger brother, Tejashwi Yadav, with both posts sharing the theme of mentioning ‘Jaychand’. Regarding Tejashwi Yadav, Tej Pratap wrote, ‘Those who dream of separating me from my Arjun, you will never succeed in your conspiracies. You can take Krishna’s army, but not Krishna himself. I will soon expose every conspiracy. Just trust me, my brother, I am with you in every situation, currently I am away, but my blessings were always with you and will be with you, my brother. Take care of Mummy-Papa, Jaychand is everywhere, inside and outside.’
On June 7, Tej Pratap Yadav shared a post in which he was seen listening to people’s problems. Tej Pratap wrote that a person walking on the path of truth is always victorious. We should always follow the path of truth. The path of truth is undoubtedly difficult, but victory always belongs to the person who walks the path of truth. Raja Harishchandra regained his lost prestige by walking the path of truth; the Pandavas defeated the Kauravas in the war by following the path of truth. Later, on June 9, he posted a picture of himself standing below the picture of Lalu Yadav with his arms outstretched.
Tej Pratap’s future within the family and the party remains uncertain. Lalu Yadav may forgive him eventually, but the current political climate is impacting his actions. Lalu Yadav has a history of granting forgiveness within his political circle. However, the reasons for these forgivings vary, with political considerations differing from family matters. It is noteworthy that Lalu Yadav did not forgive Purnia MP Pappu Yadav. The list includes Sadhu Yadav and certain relatives. The list of leaders is separate.
Figures like Nitish Kumar, Shivanand Tiwari, and Jagdanand Singh are also included. Concerning Nitish Kumar, Lalu Yadav had previously said that he would drink poison and that he had teeth in his stomach. There was a time when the entire Lalu family had called him ‘Paltoo Kumar.’ However, in 2022, when Nitish Kumar returned to the Grand Alliance as Chief Minister, former Chief Minister Rabri Devi was asked about the 2015 elections alongside Nitish Kumar and his return to the NDA in 2017. Rabri Devi responded, ‘Everything is forgiven… everything is forgiven’.