Tej Pratap Yadav To Contest As Independent? RJD Rift Deepens Ahead Of Bihar Elections 2025

In a dramatic twist in Bihar’s politics, Tej Pratap Yadav, the elder son of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) founder Lalu Prasad Yadav, announced that he will contest the Bihar Assembly election independently from the Mahua constituency. His announcement comes immediately after his expulsion from the RJD, highlighting the deepening fracture within the Yadav political family.

Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Tej Pratap said, “Team Tej Pratap Yadav is a platform to reach the people… This time, Uncle (Nitish Kumar) will not become the Chief Minister. We will contest the election from Mahua; there are many opponents, they have started to feel the itch…”

He stressed that his new platform will support parties that prioritize youth welfare, employment, education, and healthcare core issues he claims are being neglected.

In a clear move to distinguish his political identity, Tej Pratap has launched a new Facebook page titled ‘Team Tej Pratap’. Notably, the page avoids any reference to his father’s party or its symbols. The page carries the slogan, “Jiska Kaayam Hai Pratap, Wahi Hai Aapka Apna Tej Pratap,” positioning him as an independent political force.

His car too now bears a new green-and-white flag reading ‘Team Tej Pratap Yadav’, a visual departure from the RJD banner. This symbolic shift was on full display during his roadshow in Mahua, where he was surrounded by a large crowd of supporters waving the new flag.

Speculations around his candidacy began weeks ago, particularly after his repeated visits to Mahua. Political analysts suggest that Tej Pratap is trying to form another basis of loyal supporters separately from his father’s party and brother Tejashwi Yadav.

The dispute happened in May when Tej Pratap’s viral image with a woman named Anushka Yadav provoked claims of a long-term relationship. Initially, the post refused and blaming a hacked account, he later accepted to share the image himself.

The incident gave rise to six years of expulsion from RJD. In a statement about X, Lalu Yadav said that the son’s actions did not match the party’s values and weakened the mass struggle for social justice.

Family quarrels have attracted national attention, especially Tejashvi Yadav supported Lalus’s decision to expel his brother. Tej Pratap’s personal life has long been under public scrutiny, especially after the 2018 wedding of Aishwarya Rai, the granddaughter of former Bihar Chief Minister Daroga Prasad Rai. However, the relationship soon faced trouble, and Tej Pratap filed for divorce just months later, triggering a highly publicized family dispute.

As the Bihar elections in 2025 get closer, Tej Pratap’s only political features and individual omarkings can provide a fantastic turn to the already unstable political scenario.

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