Lalu Yadav's Daughter Unfollows Him, Brother Tejashwi On Social Media Ahead Of Polls

The division within Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Lalu Yadav's family continues to attract attention before Bihar's assembly elections, when opposition unity is crucial. Recently, Lalu's daughter Rohini Acharya unfollowed her father, brother Tejashwi Yadav, and the party on social media, making her account private. Though the incident passed, it reveals a clear pattern, especially following the earlier estrangement of Lalu's elder son Tej Pratap Yadav.

Over the past decade, Sanjay Yadav (seen standing behind Tejashwi Yadav) has been making critical decisions for the RJD.

Party sources indicate the recent conflict stems from the elevated status given to Sanjay Yadav, a close associate of Tejashwi Yadav. This MBA graduate from Delhi University and former Gurgaon professional has been the behind-the-scenes strategist for the party for over ten years, supporting Tejashwi during challenging times including when Lalu was convicted in the fodder scam.

For the last decade, Sanjay Yadav has been the key decision-maker for the party - from creating detailed electoral databases to overseeing the party's overall strategy. He also determines who represents the party as spokespersons and how they're prepared for media interactions.

While this influential position has always been desirable within both the party and the Yadav family, there had been minimal resistance to his role until now.

The 41-year-old from Haryana has recently been awarded a Rajya Sabha seat and publicly acknowledged as Tejashwi Yadav's closest advisor - comparable to Ahmed Patel's relationship with Congress's Sonia Gandhi or KC Venugopal's with Rahul Gandhi.

What made this sudden promotion harder for family members to accept was Tejashwi's declaration that only one electoral ticket would be allocated per family, including his own. Reports suggest Rohini Acharya had intended to contest from a seat within the Saran Lok Sabha constituency this year.

The controversy surrounding Sanjay Yadav intensified when he occupied Tejashwi's usual seat on a bus during the Bihar Adhikar Yatra. Attempting to defuse the situation, Tejashwi arranged for two Dalit leaders to sit in his seat the following day.

Party insiders loyal to Tejashwi argue that since Lalu designated him as his successor, he should be permitted to lead without interference. Critics, however, have multiple grievances, including complaints that the younger Yadav no longer takes their phone calls.