JOIN USThree days before he addresses his first major public rally, which is being perceived as launchpad for his political sojourn, Lalu Prasad’s youngest son Tejaswi Yadav says that his father is his “role model” but “Uncle Nitish is well-mannered, calm and has enormous patience.”
Tejaswi said this while overseeing the arrangements for Parivartan rally, which is being touted as Lalu’s biggest show of strength ever since he was thrown out of power in the state which he ruled for 15 uninterrupted years.
Born in November 1989, cricketer-turned-politician Tejaswi feels that the younger generation leaders are promising and in the days to come will bring in enormous change. “Just see Farooq Abdullah’s son Omar or Mulayamji’s son Akhilesh… they have delivered when given a chance. Our generation is more keen to perform provided they are given the right platform,” says the Delhi University commerce graduate, while discounting the theory that it’s a family rule in RJD.
“From Kashmir to Kanyakumari, you have politicians passing the baton to the next generation. So what’s wrong if I too have politics in my blood,” says Lalu’s son, who had earlier played in Ranji matches for Jharkhand and represented Delhi Daredevils too.
“Some people said that I was selected because I was Lalu’s son. But please go through my track record when I played Under-13 and Under 19,” said Tejaswi, who is now padding up for a new innings. Although he has not attained the age to contest an Assembly or Lok Sabha election, he insists he will do so as and when the time comes. Right now his focus is to make RJD’s Parivartan rally on May 15 a huge success.
But the Janata Dal-United is not at all impressed with Lalu pulling out all stops to make his “show of strength” a historic one. “What Parivartan (transformation) has Lalu brought in over the last few years? He has not been able to give up his family hold over the party. ,” observed Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar at an informal meet.