Tej Pratap Yadav with father Lalu Prasad

PATNA: A political storm is brewing in Bihar after RJD chief Lalu Prasad on Sunday expelled his elder son, Tej Pratap Yadav, from both the party and the family following revelations of a long-standing relationship with one Anushka Yadav.Lalu’s decision is seen as politically significant, both within his family and for the future of his youngest son, Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, who leads the opposition and is the RJD’s chief ministerial face for the upcoming assembly elections.Tej Pratap, recently seen in a video from the Maldives, has inadvertently handed the BJP-led NDA a fresh opportunity to target the RJD. Several social media posts have accused the Lalu family of failing to uphold the dignity of women. NDA leaders may also attempt to politically court Tej, exploiting the family rift to further destabilise the RJD.In a state where public perception plays a crucial role, Tej Pratap’s social media post about his relationship could damage the image of the RJD’s first family. It risks alienating poor and middle-class voters, who are traditionally conservative in such matters.The alleged affair could also affect Yadav pride, especially given Tej Pratap’s earlier marriage to Aishwarya Rai, the granddaughter of former CM Daroga Prasad Rai, a family held in high regard by the Yadav community. Tej and Aishwarya married in 2018, but the relationship soured quickly, and a divorce case is currently pending in court.Lalu’s move may, however, clear the path for Tejashwi to assert himself without internal competition. Meanwhile, Tej Pratap could potentially float his own party, as some of his supporters have suggested online.In a brief statement, Tejashwi said, “I neither like nor tolerate all this. I am doing my work and we are committed to serving the people of the state. As far as my elder brother is concerned, he is an adult and can make decisions about his personal life himself.”Lalu’s daughter, Rohini Acharya, supported her father’s decision. In a social media post, she wrote, “Those who abandon their wisdom and repeatedly cross the limits of decency and family honour make themselves subjects of criticism. For us, papa is like a god, the family is our temple and pride. The party built by papa’s tireless efforts and struggles and the concept of social justice, are our worship. We cannot accept that the prestige of these three is tarnished because of anyone.“