Patna: Jailed Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav has missed out on a number of political engagements, including his party’s poll rout in the Lok Sabha elections. But that has done little to diminish his standing in the party.
The RJD is scheduled to hold organisational elections in November and there is no doubt that Lalu will be elected as its president despite being in judicial custody in Ranchi in connection with the fodder scam.
Much like regional satraps across the country, the RJD chief is likely to hold on to his position for as long as he lives.
The challenge for now, however, is keeping his family together and, crucially, not letting the differences ruin the family-run party.
There is the younger son and chosen heir, Tejashwi Yadav, who has refused to come out of a self-imposed political exile following the poll drubbing despite his father’s repeated pleas.
But chief among the RJD’s familial problems is the divorce proceedings that older son and former health minister Tej Pratap Yadav is currently in the midst of.
The proceedings, between Tej Pratap and his wife Aishwarya Rai, the granddaughter of former Bihar CM Daroga Prasad Rai and daughter of senior RJD leader Chandrika Rai, has led to much mudslinging.
Tej Pratap has refused to listen to his father and withdraw his divorce petition.
A messy divorce
Tej Pratap, with a reputation of being hot-headed and erratic, filed for divorce from Aishwarya in November last year. His father immediately summoned him to Ranchi and directed him to withdraw the petition.
But not only did he not heed his father’s advice, Tej Pratap also went missing for about 20 days travelling to Vrindavan, Mathura and other places. When he returned to Patna he did not go home but got Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to allot him a separate house in the state capital.
The divorce now threatens to embarrass the family as Aishwarya last Saturday filed a case, levelling grave charges not only against her husband but also against her mother-in-law, former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi, and sister-in-law, Rajya Sabha MP Misa Bharati.
Confirming the development, Purnima Rai, Aishwarya’s mother, said, “My daughter has approached the courts under the Domestic Violence Act. She has appeared in person before the court and was represented by Malvika Rajkotia.”
Rajkotia is one of the leading divorce lawyers of the country who has appeared on behalf of many celebrities, including former CM of Jammu & Kashmir Omar Abdullah. Purnima hinted that her daughter was being deprived of basic amenities at her official residence.
The case has made RJD leaders weary. “There may be a lot of mud-slinging in which the reputation of the family may take a hit even among Lalu’s die-hard supporters,” said an RJD MLA.
It also doesn’t help that Aishwarya hails from a prominent political family herself. Her grandfather was a Congress-era chief minister while her father, Chandrika Rai, is an RJD leader whose base is also Chhapra district where the Yadavs draw their political sustenance from.
The relationship between Tej Pratap and Aishwarya deteriorated allegedly after her father contested the elections from the Chhapra Lok Sabha seat as an RJD candidate and lost. According Aishwarya’s family members, Lalu initially assured them that everything would be all right once he returned to Patna. But after the defeat, Lalu told them that Tej Pratap was no longer listening to his advice.
The sulking younger son
If that wasn’t enough, Lalu is having to contend with Tejashwi, his chosen political heir who has disappeared from the political scene.
Not only was he absent when over 150 children died due to Encephalitis, but he also made a mere two-minute appearance on two occasions in the month-long monsoon session that began at the end of June.
“The session created history of sorts as the leader of the opposition was absent for 17 continuous sittings of the House,” taunted Dy CM Sushil Kumar Modi leaving RJD bench red-faced.
Tejashwi made a brief appearance on 29 June, claiming he had been undergoing treatment for Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL). But he has been missing since and spends most of his time in Delhi.
RJD leaders point out that Lalu has repeatedly urged him to forget the Lok Sabha defeat and concentrate on the assembly elections. When Tejashwi met Lalu for the first time two months after the Lok Sabha polls, at least two leaders heard Lalu counselling Tejashwi to take an active part in political proceedings.
“But nothing happened, and sometimes there are talks about Tejashwi no longer being interested in politics. His long absence has made him politically irrelevant and most leaders, including those of allied parties, are questioning Tejashwi’s ability to fight political battles,” said a senior RJD leader.
“There is speculation about a family feud. The party is dying and at a time when we should be raising political battles on Article 370 and triple talaq, only a few statements have been made.”
Also read: What Kanhaiya Kumar didn’t learn at JNU – for Lalu Prasad Yadav, family always comes first
Hope they kill each other and give the wicked father the great honour of setting fire to the pyre together.