Lalu’s elder son Tej Pratap quits post amid rift in family

Patna: Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad Yadav’s elder son Tej Pratap created a flutter by resigning as head of the party’s student wing.

A wave of shock and surprise hit RJD circles and the entire Lalu clan as Tej Pratap announced his decision through a tweet on Thursday. “I am resigning from the post in the party’s student wing. Those who think I am a fool are foolish. I know their reality”, he said in a tweet.

Sources said Tej Pratap was upset after the party leadership rejected his demand to accommodate two candidates in Bihar for the coming Lok Sabha polls. Earlier in the day, Tej Pratap had announced the candidature of Angesh Singh from Sheohar and Chandra Prakash for Jehanabad seats. “I just wanted the party to accommodate these two leaders who have worked hard to strengthen the RJD at the ground level. But the party plans to include workers who are less deserving and cannot ensure victory in the Lok Sabha polls,” Tej Pratap said.

He added: “Lalu Yadav is not being informed about the day-to-day developments in the party. But I am aware of all these things and they cannot fool me”.

RJD insiders, however, downplayed the statement and said “he has been creating trouble for Tejashwi Yadav, who is trying to run the party smoothly in the absence of his father Lalu Yadav”.

Political observers see Tej Pratap Yadav’s latest move as a tactic to build pressure on the RJD ahead of the candidate announcement for 2019 general election.

Dissent has been brewing in the RJD after Lalu Yadav handed over the party’s reins to his younger son Tejashwi Yadav after he was convicted and sent to jail in the fodder scam case.

Sources said fresh speculation of a rift between Tej Pratap and other leaders, including brother Tejashwi Yadav, has confused party workers. His statement also gave fuel to NDA leaders in Bihar who said the rift within Lalu Yadav’s family will create a conflict in the party as well as in the Grand Alliance.

This is not Tej Pratap’s first controversial tweet. Last year he created a buzz with a tweet signalling his retirement from politics. In a social media post, he used references from the Mahabharata and said he wishes to hand over the throne to Arjun (Tejashwi Yadav) and leave for Dwarka.