Rohini Acharya, daughter of RJD president Lalu Prasad, on Saturday announced that she was quitting politics and severing ties with her family, a day after the party suffered a heavy defeat in the Bihar assembly elections.
Acharya, a medical professional who later chose to focus on her family life after marrying her Singapore-based husband, made the declaration through a cryptic post on her X handle. Her message, posted shortly after the RJD’s tally plunged from 75 to 24 seats, triggered speculation across the party’s ranks.
“I am quitting politics and I am disowning my family… This is what Sanjay Yadav and Rameez had asked me to do… and I am taking all the blame,” she wrote, without elaborating on the circumstances that led to her decision.
Sanjay Yadav, a Rajya Sabha MP from the RJD and a close aide of Tejashwi Yadav, along with Rameez, described as Tejashwi’s long-time friend from Uttar Pradesh, were not available for comments. It remains unclear what the two had said to her or why she chose to make the fallout public in such a manner.
Acharya, who received public admiration for donating a kidney to her father a few years ago, had contested the Lok Sabha election last year from Saran but lost. In recent weeks, she had been linked to internal discontent within the party, particularly after Tej Pratap Yadav, the elder son of Lalu Prasad, was expelled from the RJD. However, despite rumours of friction, she was seen campaigning for Tejashwi during the assembly polls.
Also read: PM Modi predicts split in Congress post-Bihar victory
Her announcement has added another layer of turmoil to the RJD’s post-poll crisis. The Mahagathbandhan, comprising the RJD and the Congress, suffered a decisive defeat at the hands of the ruling NDA, which returned to power with an overwhelming majority. The NDA’s core constituents, the BJP and JD(U), together recorded a strike rate of nearly 85 per cent across the 202 seats they contested, propelling the alliance beyond the “200 paar” mark in the 243-member assembly.
The BJP emerged as the single largest party, reinforcing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal while reaffirming Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s political resilience. For the RJD, which was reduced to a fraction of its earlier strength, the verdict has deepened introspection within the party and heightened concerns over leadership cohesion.
Acharya’s decision to “disown” her family and exit the political stage has raised questions about deeper internal strains within the Lalu Prasad household, often regarded as the centre of the party’s political machinery. Her post has prompted intense speculation on whether her disenchantment stems from organisational tensions, personal grievances, or larger disagreements over the party’s strategic direction.
As the RJD grapples with the electoral setback, the unexpected public rupture within the family has added to its challenges, with party leaders refraining from comment and senior members seeking to contain further controversy.
Follow us
