"People Target Me Because They Know I Am Next Lalu Yadav": Tej Pratap To NDTV
Expelled from the Rashtriya Janata Dal for six years, with the announcement coming from none other than his father, Tej Pratap Yadav has claimed people are conspiring against him because they know that he is the next Lalu Yadav.
In an exclusive interview with NDTV on Thursday, Lalu Yadav's eldest son also said, cryptically, that while he would like his brother Tejashwi Yadav to become the chief minister of Bihar after the elections later this year, he wants to play the role of kingmaker.
Tej Pratap Yadav - who married Aishwarya Rai, the daughter of a former Bihar minister in 2018 - was expelled from the RJD last month after he posted a photo on X and wrote that the woman he was with was Anushka Yadav and that they had been in a relationship for 12 years.
Even though Tej Pratap Yadav deleted the post and claimed his account had been hacked, RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav announced that he was distancing his son from the family and expelling him from the party for six years because of his "irresponsible behaviour" and "disregard for ethical values".
Asked how he had taken the news, Tej Pratap Yadav, a former Bihar minister, said he felt bad and indicated he had been expelled because someone was conspiring against him.
"Of course, I felt bad. If you expel a party member or an employee you have hired because someone swayed your opinion... it feels bad," Tej Pratap said in Hindi.
To a question on whether he felt worse because it was his father who expelled him, the Hasanpur MLA said his parents, Lalu Yadav and Rabri Devi, are like gods to him, and he has the utmost respect for them. "My mother is always worried about me. As their first son, I know they keep me in their heart... I don't want to go into details of what the situation was or wasn't because that is completely political," he said.
"My younger brother, Tejashwi, has my blessings and complete support for becoming the chief minister... there are no issues there," he stressed.
Tejashwi-Tej Ties
Asked to elaborate on the relationship with Tejashwi, Tej Pratap said there is some turmoil ('uthal puthal') but he is trying to handle the situation.
"I have no interest in there being a breakdown in the relationship. I don't want to ruin ties... with anyone. I always try to maintain relationships... When you are the elder brother, you have to fulfil an elder brother's responsibilities," he said.
'Selective Targeting'
To a question on whether he felt the controversy around him has dented the RJD's image, Tej Pratap wondered whether only his actions did that.
"There are many other people as well. Why am I being specially targeted? I am not going to talk about my family - my brothers, sisters or parents. The other people who keep targeting me do so because they know that I am the next Lalu Yadav, because I have the same kind of voice, the same pure, raw mannerisms, the same grounded nature. Several people have said this," he claimed.
"Tejashwi should become the chief minister, he has my full support. I want to play the role of kingmaker. Some don't like that I have my ear to the ground, that I raise issues that matter to the people without being afraid of anyone. This is what my father used to do, and that is what I, his son, should do as well. People in villages like people who are grounded," he said.
Message To Supporters
On whether he was despondent because of his troubles with the party and his family, Tej Pratap said he was not, and urged his supporters not to feel anxious either.
The MLA said he will visit his constituency, Hasanpur, in the run-up to the elections and also hold 'janata durbars' (public meetings) to address any issues that people may have.
"I am out of the party for six years, but that doesn't mean I should stay at home. A person should do the work he is meant to do. And I will do so," he emphasised.
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