Rohini Acharya, daughter of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, triggered a political storm on Saturday after announcing that she was quitting politics and cutting ties with her family. Her decision came just a day after the RJD suffered a major defeat in the Bihar Assembly elections.
In a post on X, Rohini Acharya said she took the step under pressure from senior RJD leader Sanjay Yadav, a Rajya Sabha MP and one of Tejashwi Yadav’s closest aides. She mentioned another person, Rameez, who is believed to be Tejashwi’s old friend from Uttar Pradesh, according to Hindustan Times.
Acharya’s message suggested she was taking responsibility for an unspecified matter, but it was unclear whether she was referring to the party’s election performance or something more personal. In her post, she wrote that Sanjay Yadav and Rameez had asked her to make this announcement and that she was taking all the blame.
Rohini Acharya had contested the Lok Sabha elections from Saran last year but lost. Her sudden announcement has added more strain to the RJD, which is still recovering from its poor performance in the Bihar elections. The RJD-Congress-led Mahagathbandhan managed to win only 35 out of 243 seats, while the National Democratic Alliance, led by the BJP and JD(U), secured a landslide victory with 202 seats.
Her move also comes months after another major family controversy. In May this year, Lalu Prasad Yadav expelled his elder son, Tej Pratap Yadav, from the RJD for six years and also distanced himself from him within the family. This happened after Tej Pratap shared a photo on Facebook with a woman described as his partner. There had been speculation that Rohini Acharya was unhappy with Tej Pratap’s removal.
Shivam Verma is a journalist with over three years of experience in digital newsrooms. He currently works at NewsX, having previously worked for Firstpost and DNA India. A postgraduate diploma holder in Integrated Journalism from the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai, Shivam focuses on international affairs, diplomacy, defence, and politics. Beyond the newsroom, he is passionate about football—both playing and watching—and enjoys travelling to explore new places and cuisines.
