In this Friday, Jan. 1, 2016 file image, RJD leader Tej Pratap Yadav takes blessings of his father and party chief Lalu Prasad, in Patna.
Credit: PTI Photo
Patna: Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) president and former Chief Minister of Bihar Lalu Prasad Yadav on Sunday expelled his elder son Tej Pratap Yadav, a former minister, from his party for six years and snapped all family ties for the latter’s ‘irresponsible behaviour’.
“Ignoring moral values in personal life weakens our collective struggle for social justice. The activities and public conduct, particularly the irresponsible behaviour of the eldest son, are not in accordance with our family values and traditions,” said Lalu on X in Hindi.
“Under such circumstances, I, therefore, remove him from the party and family. Now onwards, he will not have any role in the party and the family as he has been expelled from the party for six years,” the RJD chief wrote on social media.
Cause & Effect
The expulsion of Lalu’s eldest son came a day after Tej Pratap’s Facebook post went viral on Saturday which said he had been “in a relationship” with his friend Anushka Yadav for the last 12 years. Shortly after this post created a storm in the political circles on Sunday, Tej Pratap said his social media platform had been “hacked and his photographs were wrongfully used”. Later, he deleted the post.
But the damage had already been done.
His parents, Lalu Prasad and Rabri Devi, both former Chief Ministers of Bihar, were livid. So was Tej Pratap’s younger brother and former Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav.
“We cannot tolerate such things. We are dedicated to the people of Bihar,” said Tejashwi in his post on X. “Personal life and political life are two different things. My elder brother is an adult. He is free to make his personal decisions. The party chief has taken suitable action,” added Tejashwi, who is tipped to be the Chief Minister’s face of the Opposition for the ensuing Assembly polls in Bihar slated for October and November.
Marriage of inconvenience
Lalu and his family’s angst against Tej Pratap is quite palpable as he was married to Aishwarya Rai, the grand-daughter of former Chief Minister of Bihar Daroga Rai and daughter of former Minister Chandrika Rai in 2018 amid much fanfare.
However, within months after the grand wedding, Tej Pratap and Aishwarya ‘separated’ with the latter charging Lalu’s elder son with physical and verbal abuse. The matter related to their divorce is being heard in the court of law.