In Bihar Ahead Of Polls, Sister Poses Challenge To Tejashwi Yadav

The rift between Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Yadav's daughter Rohini Acharya and her brother Tejashwi Yadav appears to be heading for a crisis, with her supporters rallying around her. They argue that Lalu Yadav owes his life to her. 

Rohini Acharya had donated a kidney to her father and now these supporters consider her a saviour - of her father and thereby the party. With slogans of "Rohini Acharya Zindabad," they are now offering a challenge to Tejashwi Yadav - probably the toughest so far -- to keep the family and the party together. 

Party insiders say if Tejashwi fails, there is a chance that Rohini Acharya can join hands with brother Tej Pratap Yadav to form a new party and the Rashtriya Janata Dal can split in the process.

Upset with her brother's promotion of his friend Sanjay Yadav, Rohini Acharya had recently unfollowed the social media handles of her father, brother and the party. Reason - Tejashwi Yadav's new rule that only one person from a family can receive a party ticket for the coming assembly election in Bihar. 

Rohini Acharya hopes to contest the state elections this time and has her eye on any assembly seat under the Saran Lok Sabha constituency. She had contested the parliamentary elections from Saran and, although she faced defeat, many are still backing her.

She - and others in the party -- are also upset that Tejashwi Yadav had given a Rajya Sabha seat to his close aide Sanjay Yadav but would not give a second ticket to anyone from Lalu Yadav's family.

The dispute has hit the streets and slogans of "Rohini Zindabad" are being raised in Tejashwi Yadav's presence. This happened as late as Monday. After the Adhikar Yara in Vaishali district, Tejashwi Yadav's convoy was traveling through Sonpur in Saran, when local supporters of the RJD started raising "Long Live Rohini Acharya" slogans. 

The ball is now in Tejashwi Yadav's court and many are waiting or his next move. 

It is also a tough moment for the party, with its key pillar, the Lalu Yadav family tottering. 

Before Rohini Acharya, it was Lalu Yadav's elder son Tej Pratap Yadav, who was thrown out of the party over his social media post on personal issues. He is now targeting the RJD and his brother Tejashwi Yadav at every opportunity.

The trajectory is clear. Insiders who have been with the party for a long time, say this is no ordinary family squabble. The fight has started over what the siblings think are their due and Tejashwi Yadav will be put to the test.