Former Bihar minister Tej Pratap Yadav on Tuesday announced the formation of a new political coalition comprising five smaller parties as he prepares to contest the upcoming Bihar assembly elections.
The move follows his recent expulsion from the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) by his father and party chief Lalu Prasad Yadav.
Speaking at a press conference, where leaders of all five parties were present, Tej Pratap unveiled the new alliance, which includes:
Confirming his intention to contest from the Mahua assembly constituency, which he had earlier represented until 2020, Tej Pratap said, "People are free to make fun of me, but I will tread my own path. Our coalition will move forward together to ensure social justice, social rights, and the complete transformation of Bihar."
He added, "If people give us the mandate, we will work towards the development of the state. We will work to fulfill the dreams of Ram Manohar Lohia, Karpoori Thakur and Jayaprakash Narayan."
Tej Pratap also announced that he would be contesting the elections as an Independent candidate, leveraging public support through his online outreach initiative 'Team Tej Pratap Yadav'.
His political shift comes after a turbulent period that saw him expelled from the RJD on May 25, shortly after he reportedly acknowledged being in a relationship with a woman named Anushka via a social media post — a post he later claimed was the result of a hack.
Citing his "irresponsible behaviour", Lalu Prasad not only expelled Tej Pratap from the party for six years but also disowned him. In the aftermath, Tej Pratap took to social media to suggest a “conspiracy” aimed at dividing him and his younger brother Tejashwi Yadav, accusing unnamed individuals he metaphorically referred to as ‘Jaichand’ of betraying him.
The fallout occurs just months ahead of the crucial Bihar elections, in which the RJD is expected to be led by Tejashwi Yadav. Tej Pratap and Tejashwi are sons of Lalu Prasad and Rabri Devi, both former chief ministers of Bihar, and among four out of nine siblings active in state politics.