Patna: RJD chief Lalu Prasad on Sunday expelled his eldest son and MLA Tej Pratap Yadav from the party for six years and also distanced him from the family for "weakening collective struggle for social justice by ignoring moral values in social life", a move that may bring forth the ‘internal feud’ of Lalu family before the assembly election.
RJD leader in a social media post commented, “Ignoring moral values in personal life weakens our collective struggle for social justice. The activities, public conduct and irresponsible behaviour of the eldest son are not in conformity with our family values and traditions. Therefore, due to the above circumstances, I distanced him from the party and family. From now on, he will not have any role of any kind in the party and family. He is expelled from the party for 6 years.”
“He (Tej Pratap) is capable of judging the good and bad and merits and demerits of his personal life. All those who will have relations with him should make their own decisions. I have always been an advocate of public decency in public life. The obedient members of the family have adopted and followed this idea in public life. Thank you."
RJD chief action has come a day after a post from Tej Pratp`s Facebook handle went viral. In the post, maverick Tej Pratap is seen with a woman, Anuskha Yadav, in a photo as he revealed that he had a 12-year-long relationship with her.
After his photo with his rumoured partner started doing rounds on social media, he claimed on ‘X’, “My social platforms have been hacked and my pictures are being wrongly edited to harass and defame me and my family members. I appeal to all my well-wishers and followers to be cautious and pay no heed to any rumours…”
Reacting to Tej Pratap`s expulsion from the party, his younger brother and former deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav said that his brother was an adult and free to make decisions, contending that he came to know about it through the media.
"We do not like such things, and cannot tolerate such things. We are committed to the people of Bihar. If it is about my elder brother, political life and personal life are different. He has the right to make his personal decisions. He is an adult and free to make decisions.”
“Our party's chief has made it clear, and ever since he has said so, it is his feelings. We didn't question such things... What he is doing in his personal life, nobody asks before doing any personal thing. I have come to know about it via the media only,” he added.
Lalu`s daughter Rohini Acharya, who unsuccessfully contested Lok Sabha election against BJP leader Rajiv Pratap Rudy from Saran, commented on ‘X’, “Those who take care of the dignity of his background, tradition, family, and upbringing are never questioned.”
“Those who abandon their wisdom and repeatedly commit the mistake of crossing the limits of decent conduct and family prestige, they themselves make themselves the subject of criticism. For us, Papa (Lalu) is like God, family is our temple and pride and the party built by Papa's tireless efforts and struggles and the concept of social justice are our worship. We will never accept that the reputation of these three is tarnished due to anyone."
