Family Betrayal in Bihar Politics: Tej Pratap Yadav's Campaign Against Brother Tejashwi Draws Godfather Parallels

Tej Pratap Yadav is actively campaigning against his brother Tejashwi in the RJD stronghold of Raghopur

Patna:

In the iconic film The Godfather by Francis Ford Coppola, Michael Corleone, brilliantly portrayed by Al Pacino, warns his elder brother Fredo (played by the late John Cazale), "Don't ever take sides against the family." Five decades later, the character of Fredo has made an unexpected appearance in Bihar's election campaign. As memes proliferate ahead of the upcoming polls, social media users are drawing comparisons between the Godfather character and Tej Pratap Yadav, son of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) patriarch Lalu Yadav and elder brother of Tejashwi Yadav, the Opposition's candidate for Chief Minister.

Tej Pratap Yadav, known for his unpredictable behavior and spontaneous comments, has initiated an independent election campaign following his expulsion from RJD over a controversial Facebook post. His newly formed Janshakti Janata Dal, which uses a blackboard as its election symbol, is contesting 22 seats in the upcoming election. The party is challenging RJD candidates in several constituencies, including Mahua, where Tej Pratap himself is running against incumbent RJD legislator Mukesh Kumar Raushan. Moreover, Tej Pratap is campaigning against his brother Tejashwi in Raghopur, a family bastion previously represented by their parents, Lalu Yadav and Rabri Devi. His party has fielded Prem Kumar to compete directly against Tejashwi.

The Mahabharata Attack

Tej Pratap Yadav has made two helicopter visits to Raghopur during the high-energy campaign. When questioned about campaigning against his family's party in its traditional stronghold, he responded, "Tejashwi should not have gone to Mahua. He went once, I have come twice."

Known for incorporating mythological references in his speeches, Tej Pratap recited shlokas from the Mahabharata after landing in his helicopter. "We have to establish Dharma. It has passed into the wrong hands. So Lord Krishna has reincarnated in Raghopur."

Without explicitly naming his brother, he warned, "Whoever will not heed Krishna's words will fall into a ditch. If you don't respect Krishna and listen to Jaichands (a term implying betrayal), you will fall into the ditch."

Making another reference to the Mahabharata, Tej Pratap declared, "This is a battleground. There is no brother, no nephew, only the enemy."

'Tejashwi A Child'

Previously, Tej Pratap Yadav referred to his brother Tejashwi as a "child" and stated he would give him a "jhunjhuna" (rattle toy) after the elections. "Bachaa hai, chunaav baad usko jhunjhuna pakdayenge... If he goes to our area, we will go to his area too. Then we will go to Raghopur," he remarked.

Tej Pratap has also criticized photos showing senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi fishing with key ally Mukesh Sahani, the Opposition's candidate for Deputy Chief Minister. "Rahul Gandhi's job is to ride a motorcycle and spread pollution. He'll spend his entire life fishing. The country will be plunged into darkness. 'Jalebi chhan'na, machli pakadna, unko toh rasoiya hona chaiye tha'. Why did he become a politician?" he told reporters.

In contrast, Tejashwi has maintained relative restraint in his comments about his elder brother during the campaign. Previously, he has mentioned that Tej Pratap consistently works against RJD candidates in every election.

Why Was Tej Pratap Expelled

Tej Pratap Yadav was expelled from RJD in May following controversy over a photograph shared on his Facebook account. The image showed him with a woman identified as Anushka Yadav, with the post claiming they had been in a relationship for 12 years.

The post generated significant discussion, with people questioning why Tej Pratap had married in 2018 if he was already in a relationship. The RJD leader had married Aishwarya Rai, daughter of political figure Chandrika Rai, in 2018, and divorce proceedings are ongoing. Tej Pratap subsequently claimed his profile had been hacked.

The following day, his father and RJD patriarch Lalu Yadav announced the decision to expel him from the party. He stated that "ignoring moral values" in personal life undermines 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," he declared, announcing Tej Pratap's six-year expulsion.

Tejashwi, who largely oversees party operations, supported his father's decision against his brother. He stated that certain actions "cannot be tolerated".