
Lalu Prasad forms new RJD team ahead of Bihar polls, focuses on caste balance
Lalu appointed four vice-presidents, including his wife and former chief minister Rabri Devi, and former state party president Jagadanand Singh. The team also includes 12 general secretaries and 10 secretaries, with clear attention paid to the traditional support bases of the party.
Of the 27-member team, seven are from the Yadav community, including Lalu and Rabri. Significant representation has also been given to castes and communities that have supported Lalu and the RJD since the Janata Dal era.
However, there are only three leaders from the general castes—two from the Rajput caste and one from the Bhumihar caste. Notably, no Brahmin leader has been included. Among Dalits, the Ravidas or Chamar communities have been given greater prominence.

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Indian Express
38 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Tej Pratap dons new colours: Repentant son is now angry rebel talking of ‘Jaichands'
Days after announcing his decision to contest the Bihar Assembly elections as an Independent candidate, Tej Pratap Yadav, the estranged elder son of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supremo Lalu Prasad, launched a sharp attack against his former party over the alleged actions of an RJD MLA. Since his expulsion from the RJD in May, over a now-deleted photo with a woman allegedly posted on his Facebook profile, Tej Pratap's tone towards his former party has shifted from reconciliatory to adversarial. In a social media post on Monday, Yadav questioned the RJD's silence over senior MLA Bhai Virendra allegedly threatening to beat a panchayat secretary, accusing the party leadership of 'selective action'. 'Kya RJD apne vidhayak Bhai Virendra par bhi karwai karegi, jinhonete Baba Saheb Ambedkar ke adarshon ke ullat SC-ST samaj ke khilaf sharmnaak tipanni ki, jaan se maarne ki dhamki di? Mujhe to Jaichandon ki saazish ke tahat party se bahar kar diya gaya… Ab dekhna hai ki bawaal karne waalon par bhi party utni hi sakhti dikhayegi ya nahin (Will the RJD also take action against its own MLA Bhai Virendra, who, defying the ideals of B R Ambedkar, made a shameful remark against the Scheduled Caste-Scheduled Tribe community and issued death threats? I was expelled from the party as part of a conspiracy by 'Jaichands (traitors)'… Now let's see if the party shows the same strictness towards those creating trouble, or not),' Tej Pratap said on X. The former RJD leader was commenting on the controversy surrounding Virendra, a four-time MLA from Maner and close aide of Lalu Prasad and Tejashwi Yadav, over a viral audio of him threatening to 'beat with a shoe' a local panchayat secretary. 'Kahan, England ka hai tum? Maner ke vidhayak ko nahi jaanta hai tum?… Hindustan jaanta hai aur tu keh raha hai ki Bhai Virendra kaun hai, nahin jaante hain (Where are you from, England? Don't you know the MLA of Maner?… India knows who Bhai Virendra is, and you say you don't know who Bhai Virendra is?),' the RJD MLA was purportedly heard saying to Sandeep Kumar, Secretary of the Battun Panchayat, during a call on July 26. An FIR was subsequently registered on a complaint by Kumar on Monday, including under sections of the SC/ST Act. In a Facebook post on Monday, Virendra admitted to using 'strong language' but blamed the panchayat official for being disrespectful. The fresh salvo by Tej Pratap comes nearly two months after he was expelled from the RJD by his father Lalu Prasad. In a statement on May 25, Lalu had cited 'irresponsible behaviour' and 'deviation from the family's moral values' as the reasons behind the action. 'Ignoring moral values in personal life weakens our collective struggle for social justice,' Lalu had said, adding his elder son's conduct was 'not in accordance with family values and traditions.' The decision had come a day after Tej Pratap allegedly shared a now-deleted Facebook post – a photo with a woman and a claim they had been 'in a relationship for 12 years'. Tej Pratap later denied making the post, claiming his social media account had been 'hacked'. In the immediate aftermath of the expulsion, Tej Pratap had struck an emotional tone, publicly appealing to his parents for support. 'My dear Mummy and Papa, I only need your trust and love, nothing else,' he had said. 'Papa, if not for you, neither this party nor the greedy, betraying people in politics around me would exist. I just want both of you to remain healthy and happy always.' In another post, Tej Pratap had likened himself to 'Krishna' and referred to his younger brother Tejashwi as 'Arjuna', urging him to be wary of 'conspirators' within the party. However, his tone has shifted significantly in the weeks since. 'Those who mistake my silence for weakness, do not think that I am unaware of your conspiracies… My role will not be decided by any party or family. It will be decided by the people and the Supreme Court,' he said in a social media post in June. In a symbolic move, Tej Pratap recently swapped his signature green Gandhi cap, historically associated with the RJD, for a yellow one. While a rift between Tej Pratap and his younger brother Tejashwi has been a matter of quiet speculation for years, party insiders noted that Tej Pratap, a former Bihar Cabinet minister, had grown increasingly uncomfortable with Tejashwi's political ascendancy. Tejashwi, however, has largely avoided a public confrontation with Tej Pratap though he had backed the decision to expel him. 'Personal and public life are two different things. My brother is an adult and free to make decisions about his personal life,' Tejashwi had said. Tej Pratap, the sitting Hasanpur MLA, earlier announced that he would contest the forthcoming Bihar Assembly polls from the Mahua constituency, a seat he had represented after winning his debut election in 2015. 'Yes, this time I will contest from Mahua as an Independent candidate. My opponents must already be uneasy,' he said.


NDTV
4 hours ago
- NDTV
"Will RJD Take Action": Tej Pratap After MLA Threatens Panchayat Official
Patna: Former Bihar Health Minister and expelled RJD leader Tej Pratap Yadav has once again openly challenged RJD leadership, this time over the alleged objectionable remarks and threats made by party MLA Bhai Virendra targeting a Panchayat Secretary who belongs to the Scheduled Caste-Tribe (SC/ST) community. Taking to the social media platform X, Tej Pratap wrote: "Will RJD also take action against its MLA Bhai Virendra, who made shameful remarks against the SC-ST society, contrary to the ideals of Baba Saheb Ambedkar, and threatened to kill? I was expelled from the party under the conspiracy of Jai Chands... Now it remains to be seen whether the party will show the same strictness on those who create a ruckus or not. Respect for the Constitution should be seen in conduct, not in speeches." This direct attack has stirred a fresh political storm within the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and has brought simmering factional tensions and alleged organisational bias to the surface. Tej Pratap's statement doesn't just target Bhai Virendra; it indirectly criticises the party's top brass, including RJD chief Lalu Prasad and Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly Tejashwi Yadav, his father and brother, respectively. By referencing his expulsion and calling out "Jai Chands", Tej Pratap accused the leadership of double standards, suggesting selective enforcement of discipline within the party. The controversy over Bhai Virendra's remarks has sparked outrage on social media, with several Dalit organisations and civil rights groups labelling the comments as anti-constitutional. They have demanded an unconditional apology and disciplinary action against the MLA. After the threatening call from Maner MLA Bhai Virendra, Panchayat Secretary Sandeep Kumar, posted in Maner block of Patna, lodged a formal complaint against him in the SC and ST Police Station on Monday. Kumar alleged that the four-time legislator had threatened him during a phone call. Bhai Virendra confirmed the authenticity of the call but defended his actions. He admitted using "harsh words" but accused the Panchayat Secretary of showing disrespect and not following the protocol.


Time of India
9 hours ago
- Time of India
Congress MP Manickam Tagore mocks Election Commission with 'YES SIR' cartoon amid Bihar SIR row
Congress MP Manickam Tagore on Tuesday posted a cartoon on X, mocking the Election Commission of India (ECI) in connection with the recent controversy over the SIR (Special Intensive Revision) in Bihar . The cartoon shared by Congress MP portrays a man labelled "EC" dressed in uniform and shackled, holding what resembles an EVM (Electronic Voting Machine), with a speech bubble saying "YES SIR." The tweet was captioned with a single, sharp hashtag: #SIR, a clear reference to the recent allegations by opposition parties that the ECI is functioning under pressure from the central government, especially in light of developments in Bihar. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category Tagore has accused the Centre, led by BJP of misusing the Election Commission as a political tool to disenfranchise marginalised communities , including the poor, Dalits, and backward castes. Earlier on Thursday, Tagore alleged more than 56 lakh voters are being removed from the voter list in Bihar after the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision and termed it an "attack" on democracy. He also reiterated the opposition's demand for a discussion on the exercise in Parliament. Live Events "The INDIA bloc wants the Parliament to discuss the SIR issue because more than 56 lakh voters are being removed from the electoral roll. This is an attack on democracy and the election process itself. The EC has become an agent of the BJP. As Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi has said, We want a discussion in the Parliament, but the government is not conceding to any kind of demands on the SIR," Tagore told ANI. Moreover, Congress MP Tagore moved an adjournment motion notice in the Lok Sabha on Monday morning to discuss the "mass demolition drives" in Delhi. He said that the demolition drives were a "violation of the orders" and were leading to the forced displacement of marginalised families. "This House expresses deep concern over the ongoing demolition drives in various parts of Delhi-including Jailorwala Bagh, Govindpuri, and Jamia Nagar, especially the demolition of homes in Madrasi Camp (Govindpuri), where hundreds of Tamil-speaking Indian citizens, daily wage labourers, domestic workers, and construction workers were forcefully evicted without proper rehabilitation," the notice read. Tagore pointed out that the Tamil migrants who have been living in Madrasi Camp for 50 years were rendered homeless, bracing rains with no access to essential services such as water, electricity and medical care. "The Madrasi Camp, established nearly 50 years ago, was home to migrant Tamils who moved to Delhi in search of livelihood. Generations have lived there, contributed to the capital's economy, and voted in every election as full citizens of India. Today, they are homeless, living under tarpaulins in the rain, with no access to water, electricity, or medical care. Across Delhi, over 27,000 people have been forcibly evicted, with more than 9,000 families not even considered for rehabilitation," the notice read. The Congress Lok Sabha MP criticised the action of the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) for "disregarding legal directives". "Despite stay orders from the Delhi High Court, bulldozers razed homes, violating fundamental rights to shelter, dignity, and justice. The actions of the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) have not only disregarded legal directives but also trampled upon the humanitarian values enshrined in our Constitution," he said. Asserting that the lower house can't remain a mute spectator, Tagore argued that the centre and DDA must be held accountable for these "unconstitutional and heartless actions." Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition (LoP), visited the affected sites and met families living under plastic sheets in the rain.