Tej Pratap Yadav tweet signals rift with brother

Patna, Jun 10 (PTI) Tej Pratap Yadav, the elder son of RJD chief Lalu Prasad, has created a flutter in political circles with a tweet signalling a rift between him and his younger brother Tejashwi Yadav even as the latter urged people not to make a mountain out of a molehill.

In the tweet yesterday, RJD leader Tej Pratap Yadav said his desire was to “get Arjuna seated on the throne of Hastinapur and himself return to Dwarka (like Lord Krishna)”.

मेरा सोंचना है कि मैं अर्जुन को हस्तिनापुर की गद्दी पर बैठाऊं और खुद द्वारका चला जाऊँ।

अब कुछेक "चुग्लों" को कष्ट है कि कहीं मैं किंग मेकर न कहलाऊं।।

।। राधे राधे।।

— Tej Pratap Yadav (@TejYadav14) June 9, 2018

The metaphor is being seen as his desire to retire from politics following RJD heir apparent and his younger brother Tejashwi Yadav’s accession to power.

Hours later, Tej Pratap Yadav, the former Bihar health minister in the grand alliance government, appeared before the media, with sandalwood paste and vermilion smeared on his forehead.

मेरे और मेरे भाई के बीच कोई मतभेद नहीं है। हमें पार्टी से उन तत्वों को हटाना होगा जो हमें तोड़ने की कोशिश कर रहे हैं: तेज प्रताप यादव pic.twitter.com/ikw36M3s9T

— NBT Hindi News (@NavbharatTimes) June 9, 2018

“I will remain in politics…. This party has been set up by my father and he has toiled hard to make the RJD what it is today,” he remarked.

“But there is a threat to the party from some insiders. They are anti-social elements who are destroying the party by furthering their own agenda invoking the name of my parents, Tejashwi, Misa (eldest sister and Rajya Sabha MP) and myself,” Tej Pratap Yadav said.

They are taking advantage of Lalu Prasad’s inability to take a very active interest in party affairs, he said, adding, “But I would not allow them to succeed.”

“I feel slighted when I telephone a party functionary for some work only to be silenced by the remark that there were different orders from the top,” he said without elaborating.

He did not name anybody, but clarified that he harboured no ill-will against Tejashwi Yadav younger to him in age, but bigger in political stature – whom he called “mere kaleje ka tukda”.

Tej Pratap appeared before the media again today.

“I don’t know how such things (rumours of rift among brothers) are being spread. Nobody is fighting at all.

“How can I have problems with him (Tejashwi). I want him to grow and become the Prime Minister. As a brother, my blessings will always be with him,” he said.

Tej Pratap, however, seemed to be angry with RJD’s Bihar unit president Ram Chandra Purbey.

“Purbey has started ignoring people who have worked in the party with me. Why the state president, who has become an MLC, is behaving in such a manner?” he said.

Purbey refused to make any comment on the issue.

With the issue hogging media limelight, Tejashwi Yadav dismissed any rift with his brother.

Stating that Tej Pratap described him as his “kaleja ka tukda”, Tejashwi Yadav said he is his “brother and guide”.

He also urged people not to make a “mountain out of a molehill” and asserted that Tej Pratap had also spoken about strengthening the party.

RJD sources said Tej Pratap had wanted one Rajendra Paswan to be appointed as general secretary in the party’s state unit, but his appointment was delayed angering him.