Rohini Acharya Aims At Hema Malini, Others In "Dancer" Row Return Fire

Lalu Yadav's elder daughter Rohini Acharya launched a counter-attack on the BJP after the ruling party made fun of RJD's Chapra candidate and Bhojpuri superstar Khesari Lal Yadav. He joined the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) only recently.

After the RJD announced the popular Bhojpuri actor would be their candidate for the assembly election, the BJP indicated the actor would not be a threat to the party. The BJP referred to him as a "nachaniya" (dancer), and indicated his strength on the political battlefield can't be taken seriously.

Acharya then rose to defend the RJD's Chapra candidate by pointing back at some people in the BJP linked to the film industry, who she called "dancers".

"BJP people are calling Khesari Yadav a nachaniya. But what about the people in their party? Manoj Tiwari, Ravi Kishan, Hema Malini, aren't they dancers too?" Acharya said.

She also mentioned Bollywood actor and BJP MP Kangana Ranaut.

Acharya's retort is likely to escalate the war of words between BJP and RJD leaders, with both accusing each other of lowering the quality of discourse in election season.

Acharya maintains she has no political ambitions. She also called a buzz on her returning to active politics "baseless rumours". She contested the Lok Sabha election in 2024, and lost to the BJP's Rajiv Pratap Rudy in Saran.

Four of Lalu Yadav and Rabri Devi's children have shown interests in politics, with Misha Bharti standing by Tejashwi Yadav, while the younger Acharya has given support to Tej Pratap.

Acharya - who donated a kidney to her father when he was very ill - has often hinted at her disappointment over Lalu Yadav's endorsement of Tejashwi Yadav.

The day he joined the RJD, Khesari Yadav said he wanted to help "brother" Tejashwi Yadav get a second chance in steering Bihar toward development.

"I have always strived to ensure that just as I am raising my children in Mumbai, providing them with good schools and hospitals, the future of the children of Bihar should be as secure as ours, and our children should not have to go to other states. So a change is needed, and I want to contribute to that change," the Bhojpuri superstar said.

Bihar will vote in two phases on November 6 and 11; counting is on November 14.