RJD leader Tej Pratap Yadav.
Credit: PTI Photo
Hajipur: Former Bihar minister Tej Pratap Yadav on Friday asserted that he will "choose death over returning to the RJD", from which he was expelled by his father Lalu Prasad a few months ago.
In an interview with PTI Videos, Yadav, who has since floated Janshakti Janta Dal, and is contesting assembly poll from Mahua assembly constituency, also made light of his younger brother Tejashwi being named INDIA bloc's chief ministerial candidate, stressing that "one needs the people's blessings to occupy the seat of power".
"I would choose death over returning to that party. I am not hungry for power. Principles and self-respect are supreme for me," he said when asked if he could go back to RJD.
"The biggest thing for me is to work for the people. I sincerely do that and people love and trust me," he asserted.
Yadav, who seeks to wrest back Mahua, the seat from which he made his electoral debut in 2015, said, "I have been attached to this constituency since much before I entered politics."
"People tell me they were happy to have me as their MLA, responsive to their needs. They say they have nobody to turn for help now," claimed Yadav, making it clear that he did not consider sitting RJD legislator Mukesh Raushan, a confidant of his younger brother, as much of a challenge.
The elder son of Prasad and Rabri Devi, both former chief ministers, Yadav had filed his nomination papers carrying late grandmother Marichiya Devi's photograph.
When reminded of the gesture, he said, "Of course, she was the one with whose blessings my father rose in politics."
Asked whether he contacted his parents to seek their blessings, too, Yadav said, "We have not talked for some time. But I know their blessings are with me."
About Tejashwi, whom he used to call Arjuna, likening himself to Lord Krishna, he said, "Of course, as a younger brother he used to have my blessings. I could not have unleashed the Sudarshan Chakra on him."
Tej Pratap Yadav, who had always been overshadowed in public life by his savvy younger brother, seemed unimpressed with Tejashwi being named the INDIA bloc's chief ministerial candidate.
"It is politicians' trait to make announcements of various kinds. But power is enjoyed only by one who gets the people's blessings," said Yadav.
The former RJD leader, however, seemed to have retained his distaste for the ruling NDA.
"People are not going to be deceived by the nefarious designs of the BJP-RSS combine anymore," he said.
On being asked how this election is different for him, since he is not part of the RJD, the JJD leader said, "Nothing is different. People of Mahua are my family. I am contesting elections under my own party, the symbol of which is blackboard."
Pointing towards an elderly, anonymous 'freedom fighter' by his side, he said, "Somebody who has seen Mahatma Gandhi with his own eyes is travelling with me. What else do I need?"
On Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor, Yadav said, "He is at best a trader. He does campaign work for parties by assembling resources. That's what he is doing now."