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

Patna:

A significant rift is developing between Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Yadav's daughter Rohini Acharya and her brother Tejashwi Yadav, with her supporters gathering momentum around her. They emphasize that Lalu Yadav owes his life to her.

Having donated a kidney to her father, Rohini is now viewed by these supporters as a savior - both of her father and consequently the party. With rallying cries of "Rohini Acharya Zindabad," they are presenting perhaps the most formidable challenge yet to Tejashwi Yadav's efforts to maintain family and party unity.

According to party sources, if Tejashwi fails to resolve this tension, there's a possibility that Rohini Acharya might align with another brother, Tej Pratap Yadav, to establish a new political entity, potentially splitting the Rashtriya Janata Dal.

Rohini Acharya recently unfollowed her father, brother, and the party on social media platforms, expressing dissatisfaction with Tejashwi's promotion of his friend Sanjay Yadav and his new policy limiting party tickets to just one member per family for the upcoming Bihar assembly elections.

With aspirations to contest in the state elections, Rohini has her sights on one of the assembly seats under the Saran Lok Sabha constituency. Despite her defeat in the parliamentary elections from Saran, she continues to enjoy substantial support.

Her discontent - shared by others within the party - stems from Tejashwi Yadav's decision to award a Rajya Sabha seat to his close associate Sanjay Yadav while refusing additional tickets to members of Lalu Yadav's family.

The conflict has now spilled onto the streets, with supporters chanting "Rohini Zindabad" even in Tejashwi Yadav's presence. This occurred as recently as Monday when, following the Adhikar Yatra in Vaishali district, local RJD supporters in Sonpur, Saran, raised slogans supporting Rohini Acharya as Tejashwi's convoy passed through.

The next move lies with Tejashwi Yadav, with many anxiously awaiting his response.

This presents a challenging moment for the party, as the Lalu Yadav family - its fundamental pillar - appears increasingly unstable.

Before Rohini Acharya's dissent, Lalu Yadav's elder son Tej Pratap Yadav was expelled from the party following social media posts about personal matters. He now consistently criticizes both the RJD and his brother Tejashwi Yadav.

The trajectory seems clear. Long-term party insiders suggest this extends beyond ordinary family disagreement. The conflict has emerged from what the siblings consider their rightful positions, and Tejashwi Yadav's leadership will be severely tested.