Tej Pratap floats 'Lalu Rabri Morcha"

In fresh trouble for Lalu Prasad’s RJD, his mercurial elder son Tej Pratap Yadav on Monday urged his mother Rabri Devi to contest from Saran Lok Sabha seat in place of the father of his estranged wife and threatened to contest as an Independent if his request was not heeded.

The maverick MLA and former minister spoke while announcing the formation of a parallel outfit “Lalu Rabri Morcha” which he insisted was not separate from the RJD and pointed towards photographs of his parents besides younger brother Tejashwi Yadav, who has in the recent past emerged as the party’s de facto leader.

“Saran is the seat of my father Lalu ji and mother Rabri ji. I urge my mother, with folded hands, that she herself enter the fray from there. If this does not happen I will contest as an independent and make my best efforts to win it,” Tej Pratap told reporters here.

Chandrika Rai, the partys MLA from Parsa seat falling under Saran, was announced as the party candidate from the Lok Sabha seat last week.

The BJP has named sitting MP Rajiv Pratap Rudy as its nominee on the politically important seat.

Rai’s daughter Aishwarya had tied the knot with Tej Pratap in May last year though the latter moved a divorce petition within less than six months of the marriage.

After the announcement of his candidature, Rai had sought to downplay speculations that the development could enrage his volatile son-in-law and said he is one of the star campaigners of the party.

Notably, Saran was won by Lalu Prasad in 2009, his last shot at the hustings before conviction in a fodder scam case four years later left him disqualified.

Replying to a query, Tej Pratap shot back saying “what action can the party take against me.

“The RJD leadership has to realize that there is widespread resentment against the NDA government in Bihar which we have to harness. We must not end up angering the people. Many elements have entered the RJD who are trying to drive a wedge between my brother and me. I would urge Tejashwi, whom I always call my Arjuna, to beware of such elements...”