Lalu Yadav's elder son Tej Pratap's Facebook post announcing a 12-year relationship, a subsequent hacking claim and his expulsion from the party have brought a name under the spotlight: Aishwarya Rai, not the actor, but Tej Pratap's estranged wife. Days after Aishwarya Rai Bachchan stole the show on the Cannes red carpet, her namesake in Bihar is the talking point, thanks to Tej Pratap's faux pas.
Aishwarya, a Delhi University graduate with an MBA, married Tej Pratap, who has studied till Class 12, in a grand ceremony in Patna in 2018. The two separated months later, and Aishwarya brought serious allegations against the Yadav family, including former Chief Minister and Lalu Yadav's wife Rabri Devi. A divorce case to legally end the marriage is pending in court.
Against this backdrop, the now-deleted picture of Tej Pratap with a woman identified as Anushka Yadav and the claim that they were in a 12-year relationship prompted many to ask why the RJD leader married Aiswarya if he was already with someone. While Tej Pratap claimed his account was hacked, the damage was done. Yesterday, Lalu Pratap expelled Tej Pratap from the party. The RJD patriarch said "ignoring moral values" in personal life weakens 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."
A Political Match Gone Wrong
Tej Pratap's wedding in Patna was a grand affair and marked the coming together of two political families. Aishwarya Rai is the daughter of Chandrika Rai, a former minister and a six-time MLA. Her grandfather, Daroga Prasad Rai, was a Congressman who served as Bihar's Chief Minister for 10 months in 1970.
When the marriage went south, so did the political understanding. Chandrika Rai had started his political career with the Congress. He later joined RJD and came close to party chief Lalu Yadav and the 2018 wedding had cemented the bond. Following his daughter's separation and her serious allegations against the Yadav family, Mr Rai quit RJD and joined Nitish Kumar's JDU.
An Unceremonious Exit
In 2018, visuals of Aishwarya leaving the Yadav home flashed on TV screens. She appeared to be crying as she got into a car and left for her home. In interactions with the media later, she accused Rabri Devi, sister-in-law and MP Misa Bharti and Tej Pratap of harassing and assaulting her. She also filed a police complaint against the three. "My mobile phone was also snatched away to erase evidence. Also, they kept all my belongings before kicking me out of the house," she alleged, and stressed that she would fight for her rights.
Rabri Devi, on the other hand, filed a counter complaint against Aishwarya, alleging harassment and misbehaviour. The former Bihar Chief Minister alleged that Aishwarya had attacked her.
Tej Pratap's 'North Pole, South Pole' Remark
Shortly after the marital spat became public, Tej Pratap told the media that he and Aishwarya were incompatible. "I'm North Pole and she's South Pole. There have been fights between me and my wife in front of my parents. I don't want to live with her anymore. There's no point in being unhappy and stressed," he said. "I am a simple man with simple habits and she is a modern woman, educated in Delhi and used to life in a metropolis," he added.
Tej Pratap accused his family of siding with his wife when he filed a divorce petition in court. "Everybody from my father to my mother and my siblings left my side to stand in solidarity with my wife. Even so, I will not go back on my decision," he told the media.
A 'Relationship Reveal' Post - And A Huge Row
On Saturday, a photograph was shared on Tej Pratap's Facebook account. It showed him with a woman. The post identified the woman as Anushka Yadav and said she and Tej Pratap were in a relationship for 12 years. "I am Tej Pratap Yadav and the girl who is seen with me in this picture is Anushka Yadav. We have known each other for the last 12 years and love each other deeply. We have been in a relationship throughout these years. I wanted to share this with all of you for a long time, but couldn't find the right words. Today, through this post, I am opening my heart to you. I hope you all will understand."
The post started a chatter, as people asked why Tej Pratap married Aishwarya if he was already in a relationship. Amid this chatter, Tej Pratap claimed his profile had been hacked. "My social media platform was hacked and my photographs were edited wrongfully," Mr Yadav wrote on X, referring to the viral post.
The Family Crackdown
A day after the Facebook post and the hacking claim, Lalu Yadav announced the decision to expel Tej Pratap for six years. He said "ignoring moral values" in personal life weakens 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. From now on, he will have no role in the party and the family. He has been expelled from the party for six years," the veteran leader said.
Tej Pratap's younger brother and RJD's face Tejashwi said that as far as he was concerned, such things "cannot be tolerated". "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."
Lalu Yadav's daughter Rohini Acharya said those who keep "family", "upbringing" and "decorum" in mind never face questions.
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