Patna: In a fresh twist ahead of the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections, Tej Pratap Yadav has signalled his intention to contest from Raghopur if his younger brother, Tejashwi Yadav, decides to run from the Mahua constituency. The development has sparked renewed tensions within the Yadav family and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), already grappling with internal divisions.
Speaking in an interview, Tej Pratap stated, “If Tejashwi contests from Mahua, we will also contest from Raghopur.” The former minister, currently estranged from both the party and his family, added that politics and family should remain separate, suggesting that his move is intended as a political response rather than a personal vendetta.
Tejashwi, the RJD’s chief ministerial face, is reportedly considering contesting from both Raghopur and Mahua. Raghopur has been his traditional stronghold, having won from there in both 2015 and 2020. Mahua, on the other hand, is where Tej Pratap made his electoral debut in 2015, before shifting to Hasanpur in 2020.
Tej Pratap, who recently announced his independent candidacy from Mahua, criticised RJD’s performance in the region. He claimed that local voters were aware of who delivered key infrastructure projects like the medical college, road network, and hospital. “We fought to get these built when others wanted to shift them elsewhere,” he said, warning that any RJD candidate fielded from Mahua would be defeated.
He also hinted at efforts to reconcile with his family but expressed frustration over the lack of communication. “We tried to unite the family in our own way. But if there is no dialogue from the other side, what’s the use of taking it forward?” he said.
Tej Pratap’s remarks are likely to further complicate matters for RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, who is already dealing with the delicate balancing act of managing political ambitions and family dynamics as the polls draw closer.
