Bitter Tejashwi-Tej feud brings cheer to NDA camp

Patna: Fissures in the first political family of Bihar came to fore last fortnight much to the chagrin of Lalu Yadav’s family, RJD and grand secular alliance. And it ultimately brought cheers in the NDA camp.

There was no dearth of leaders in NDA who rushed to play as cheerleaders for “poor” Tej Pratap and sympathised with him for being unjustifiably denied his rights as the natural heir of the Lalu dynasty.

More than the political temperature it was a wave of shock and surprise when Lalu’s elder son Tej Pratap expressed his unhappiness over being ignored in the party and his family.

In a Facebook post a fortnight ago he had even blamed his mother Rabri Devi for not listening to him when he went to her with complaints of party leaders who were spreading rumours about him.

“How can I work under so much pressure when there are leaders from my party who have been trying to malign my image in my own constituency? When I inform my mother and father about this they scold me. I can’t do politics like this,” Tej Pratap Yadav wrote this on a social media site.

Tej Pratap in the same message had claimed that he came to know about the issue when he visited his constituency.

“Some of my party leaders even called me insane and slave of my wife. I know how to crush these people but my father and mother are not ready to listen to me”.

Sources said that the controversial Facebook post was later deleted after family members and some senior party leaders intervened.

In June, Tej Pratap Yadav had created a buzz with a tweet signalling his “retirement from politics”. In a tweet, he used references from Mahabharata and said that he wishes to hand over the throne of Hastinapur to Arjun (Tejashwi Yadav) and leave for Dwarika.

The reason he said was few RJD leaders who were worried that he may emerge as a kingmaker in Bihar like his father Lalu Yadav.  

Political analysts are of the opinion that Tej Pratap who recently got married may have given the statement out of desperation as “party members including few senior RJD leaders don’t take him seriously”.

The dissent in the RJD has been brewing since Lalu Yadav handed over reins of the party to his younger son Tejashwi after he was convicted and jailed in the fodder scam. Senior party leaders are miffed at having been “overlooked” and a rank newcomer with little political experience being given control of the party.

Political analysts say that Tej Pratap Yadav’s social media post may be a reflection of this “desperation” of not being taken seriously by party seniors over and above the desperation of his brother being chosen over him to lead the party.

In December last year, Tej Pratap Yadav had created controversy by allegedly threatening to assault Bihar Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi and also vowed to set his house on fire at his son’s wedding. Sources said that Tej Pratap Yadav was upset with Sushil Kumar Modi for accusing the family of being involved in benami land deals.

The rumours of a power struggle between both the brothers received shot in the arms again on June 5 when Tej Pratap Yadav’s name was not included in the list of dignitaries who were slated to attend RJD’s 22nd foundation day celebration.

However, Tej Pratap tried to downplay speculations of a rift between him and his younger brother by saying, “What is so big about my name not featuring in the list of RJD leaders on the invitation card? My name has been put up on all the posters and banners of the party. Rumours about differences in my family are being spread by BJP leaders”.

According to sources, reports of a rift between his two sons and growing uneasiness in grand secular alliance over the issue resulted in RJD chief Lalu Yadav rushing to Patna from Mumbai where he was being treated for various serious ailments.

Party insiders are of the opinion that Lalu Yadav’s effort to strengthen secular forces in Bihar ahead of 2019 general elections may suffer due to “ongoing tussle for power” within his family.

But the BJP- JD (U) alliance here was not ready to buy his defence and said that the situation occurred after Lalu Yadav handed over the reins of his party to Tejashwi Yadav after being convicted in fodder scam cases.

Taking a dig at him NDA leaders said, “A situation like this generally occurs in dynastic politics. Party leaders are not happy with Lalu Yadav overlooking them and promoting his younger son”.

Political analysts were also of the same view and claimed that “while Tejashwi Yadav used the opportunity to find a place in Bihar politics Lalu Yadav’s elder son Tej Pratap is still struggling”.  

29 years old Tej Pratap was elected as MLA from the Mahua constituency. He was appointed health minister in the Grand Secular Alliance government.

According to sources, reports of a rift between his two sons and growing uneasiness in grand secular alliance over the issue resulted in RJD Chief Lalu Yadav rushing to Patna from Mumbai where he was being treated for various serious ailments.

Party insiders are of the opinion that Lalu Yadav’s effort to strengthen secular forces in Bihar ahead of 2019 general elections may suffer due to “ongoing tussle for power” within his family.

“Such kind of post on social media may create trouble for Tejashwi Yadav who has been trying to keep workers together in the absence of his father Lalu Yadav”, a senior RJD leader told this newspaper.