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New Delhi, Nov 8 (IANS) Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav’s recently estranged son Tej Pratap Yadav is trying to make an independent political bid for himself by ensuring his presence in the media spotlight, even as the stakes get higher in the Bihar assembly elections.
On Friday, when he was seen chatting with actor and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Ravi Kishan at the Patna airport, he managed to spark speculations over his future political intentions. Although it has not been established whether it was a scheduled meeting or a mere coincidence, the two leaders praised each other while speaking to the media gathered outside the terminal building.
Media speculation about a possible political realignment of the Yadav family continued over the weekend. Late last month, the former Bihar minister had ridiculed his younger brother, Lalu’s successor, Tejashwi for giving him the sobriquet of “Jannanayak” (people’s hero). Pointing out that such a title is associated with personalities like Ram Manohar Lohia and Karpoori Thakur, where it could also fit Lalu, Tejashwi was still a “child” and still in the shadow of his father, while he claimed himself to be with the people.
But the 37-year-old will face a number of political challenges before he can come close to establishing himself as an independent, influential leader in Bihar’s already crowded seats. His public controversy and subsequent expulsion from the RJD was widely reported as the point of no return in his political trajectory. Since then, he has tried to carve out an identity distinct from his more famous brother, and establish himself as the head of a new organization and coalition-builder rather than remain a claimant to the family legacy.
Once seen primarily as a leader with family reach, he now presents himself as a disinherited heir fighting for recognition. Asked about post-poll prospects, he told reporters, “All options are open.” He suggested there was a willingness to negotiate a coalition if the electoral arithmetic was in their favor.
Media coverage interprets that line as pointing to opportunistic flexibility rather than ideological clarity due to his earlier scathing comments against the BJP.
Tej Pratap’s political moves rest on three strategic pillars. First, contesting from Mahua – the seat where he first made his mark – allows him to claim continuity with the local support base, even if he tries to exit.
Second, by banding together smaller regional organizations under his Janashakti Janata Dal (JJD) umbrella, he wants to create an alternative caste-alliance and a bargaining block that could matter in hung assembly scenarios. Third, he resorts to a populist, sometimes eccentric style that combines emotional appeals with provocative messages to maintain media attention and grassroots loyalty.
A lot depends on the outcome of the Mahua assembly elections when the votes are counted on November 14. He is pitted against RJD’s Mukesh Kumar Roshan, one of Tejashwi’s close aides, from the opposition Grand Alliance and Sanjay Kumar Singh of the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), representing the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
In 2015, Tej Pratap defeated his nearest rival from Hindustani Awami Morcha (HAM) by over 28,000 votes, securing 43.34 per cent of the total valid votes polled in Mahua. However, in 2020, he contested the Hasanpur seat, where he again won, this time by a margin of over 21,000 votes over the runner-up Janata Dal (United) candidate, garnering 47.27 per cent of the mandate.
His transfer from Mahua comes amid speculation that his estranged wife Aishwarya Rai may be made a contender for the seat after her father, Chandrika Rai, once considered close to Lalu, had switched allegiance from RJD to JD(U).
Tej Pratap married Aishwarya in 2018 but parted ways after an ugly marital dispute that left Chandrika Rai angry. Thus, his current electoral performance will be instrumental in deciding his future political fortunes.
Will he be able to break the regional satrapies typically maintained by a strong patriarchy? The first steps on that path will depend on what the EVMs say, which have been sealed after the first phase of voting in Mahua on November 6.
–IANS
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