Vaishali: The Bihar Assembly election has taken a dramatic and emotional turn with a public face-off between the Yadav brothers. Tej Pratap Yadav, the elder son of RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, has launched a strong campaign against his younger brother, Tejashwi Yadav, in Vaishali district. Once considered inseparable political partners, the two are now rivals contesting from different platforms. Tej Pratap has formed his own party, the Janshakti Janata Dal, and is contesting from Mahua, while Tejashwi remains the chief ministerial candidate of the Grand Alliance led by the RJD. The family’s internal rift has now spilled into the election field, adding an emotional edge to Bihar’s political fight.
At an election rally in Raghopur, Tej Pratap openly criticised his brother’s leadership and accused him of failing the people. “Some leaders are saying that the party is everything, but I say that the people are everything. It is the people who make and break parties and who form governments,” he said while addressing a large crowd. Tej Pratap told the audience that their MLA, Tejashwi, had not done any development work in Raghopur and had only misled them. He reminded voters that he had personally distributed relief materials to flood-affected families, while his brother had “only looted the people.” His statement was met with loud applause from his supporters.
Continuing his speech, Tej Pratap claimed that some people within the RJD had conspired against him. “Some Jai Chand people are after me and tried to get me removed from the party,” he said, referring to betrayal and internal politics. “They realised another Lal Yadav has been born in Bihar.” Taking a jab at his brother, he added, “Tejashwi Yadav landed his helicopter in Mahua. Let him land there. We will land in Raghopur. Quietly press the button on the blackboard symbol.” The “blackboard” is the election symbol of his new party, and his line was a clever twist on Tejashwi’s own slogan asking voters to press the “lantern” symbol of the RJD.
Tej Pratap also tried to connect emotionally with voters by promising development and opportunities. “If you truly believe in Lalu Yadav’s ideology of social justice, elect our candidate,” he said. “We promise to build a medical college in Raghopur as well.” He urged people not to be misled by those pretending to represent his father’s ideals. “Those wearing green scarves are all fake. The real party is the Janshakti Janata Dal,” he said. Speaking to the media later, Tej Pratap described his brother as immature, saying, “Tejashwi is a child who lacks wisdom. We pray to God to give him intelligence.”
As the two brothers continue to campaign against each other, Bihar’s political atmosphere has become charged with tension and curiosity. The rivalry between Tejashwi and Tej Pratap has turned the election into a family drama being watched closely by voters across the state. While Tejashwi tries to strengthen his image as a young and modern leader, Tej Pratap is trying to prove that he carries the true legacy of Lalu Prasad Yadav. The coming days will reveal whether this sibling rivalry divides the Yadav vote or reshapes Bihar’s political future.
