Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav on Sunday expelled his elder son, Tej Pratap Yadav, from the party for six years and publicly distanced him from the family, following a controversial social media post that claimed he was in a relationship with a woman.
The development came after a Facebook post from Tej Pratap Yadav’s account featured a photo of him with a woman named Anushka Yadav. The caption claimed the two had been in a relationship for 12 years.
The post sparked a storm on social media and drew sharp criticism, with many users reminding the 37-year-old politician of his marriage to Aishwarya Rai, granddaughter of former Bihar Chief Minister Daroga Rai, in 2018. The couple separated amid controversy, with Aishwarya alleging mistreatment by Tej Pratap and his family.
Shortly after the viral post, which was later deleted, Tej Pratap claimed his Facebook account had been hacked and that there was a deliberate attempt to defame him and his family.
"My social media platform was hacked and my photographs were edited wrongfully," he wrote on microblogging platform X on Saturday evening. He urged supporters to remain vigilant and "pay no heed to any rumours."
Responding firmly, Lalu Yadav released a detailed statement on X, saying, "The activities, public conduct and irresponsible behaviour of the eldest son are not in accordance with our family values and traditions. Ignoring moral values in personal life weakens our collective struggle for social justice."
He further stated, "Therefore, due to the above circumstances, I remove him from the party and family. From now on, he will not have any role of any kind in the party and family. He is expelled from the party for six years."
Lalu also made it clear that those choosing to associate with Tej Pratap would have to make their own decisions, adding, "He is capable of seeing the good and bad and merits and demerits of his personal life. I have always been an advocate of public shame in public life. The obedient members of the family have adopted and followed this idea in public life."
The former Bihar health minister, Tej Pratap has long been a controversial figure in Bihar politics, known for erratic public statements and unpredictable political moves.
His expulsion marks a dramatic turn in the ongoing internal tensions within the Yadav family, already strained by past disputes and political differences.
As of now, it remains unclear whether Tej Pratap has lodged a formal police complaint regarding the alleged hacking of his Facebook account.
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