Lalu Yadav with wife Rabri Devi and sons Tej Pratap and Tejashwi
Amid a chatter over a now-deleted social media post about his relationship status, RJD leader Tej Pratap Yadav has been expelled from the party for six years. Announcing the decision to expel his elder son from the party, RJD founder and patriarch Lalu Prasad Yadav said that "ignoring moral values" in personal life weakens the community's struggle for social justice.
"The elder son's activities, public behaviour and irresponsible conduct are not in line with our family's values. In the current circumstances, I remove him from the party and the family. From now on, he will have no role in the party and the family. He has been expelled from the party for six years," the veteran leader said.
Mr Yadav said his son can make decisions regarding his personal life. "Whoever wants to keep in touch with him can decide independently. I have always advocated decorum in public life. The obedient members of the family have followed this," he said.
At the centre of the row that led to Tej Pratap's ouster is a now-deleted social media post. From Tej Pratap Yadav's Facebook profile, a photograph of him with a woman was shared yesterday. The post identified the woman as Anushka Yadav and said she and the RJD leader had been in a relationship for 12 years. "I am Tej Pratap Yadav and the girl who is seen with me in this picture is Anushka Yadav. We both have known each other for the last 12 years and love each other deeply. We have been in a relationship throughout these years. I wanted to share this with all of you for a long time, but couldn't find the right words. Today, through this post, I am opening my heart to you. I hope you all will understand."
The post drew critical remarks as many asked why the RJD leader married former Bihar Minister Chandrika Rai's daughter Aishwarya in 2018 if he was already in a relationship. Tej Pratap and Aishwarya had separated months after the wedding.
Shortly after the Facebook post started a chatter, it was deleted as Tej Pratap claimed his profile had been hacked. "My social media platform was hacked and my photographs were edited wrongfully," Mr Yadav wrote on X, referring to the viral post.
Tej Pratap's younger brother and RJD's face Tejashwi said as far as he was concerned, such things "cannot be tolerated". "We are doing our work, we are dedicated to Bihar and we are raising people's issues. As far as my elder brother is concerned, political life and personal life are different. He has the right to make his personal decisions. He is an adult and free to make decisions. Our party's chief has made it clear."
Lalu Yadav's daughter Rohini Acharya said those who keep "family", "upbringing" and "decorum" in mind never face questions. "Those who renounce decency and cross the limits make themselves a subject of criticism," she said.
Tej Pratap's Facebook post and the chatter about his personal life left the RJD embarrassed amid its preparations for the Bihar Assembly election later this year.
