The upcoming Bihar Assembly elections pose a multifaceted challenge for Tejashwi Yadav, the Leader of the Opposition and a prominent figure in the RJD. While facing the established forces of the BJP and JDU, Tejashwi is also confronted by his elder brother, the expelled Tej Pratap Yadav, whose actions are consistently creating difficulties. Tej Pratap, now outside the party and family circles, is actively pursuing his political ambitions, with strategies that could potentially undermine Tejashwi Yadav’s political campaign.
The political rift between Tej Pratap Yadav and his father, Lalu Prasad, along with Tejashwi, escalated when Tej Pratap, a former Bihar minister, was removed from the party for six years on May 25th due to a ‘relationship’ with a woman. Although he later retracted a social media post related to the issue and claimed his account was compromised.
Lalu Prasad distanced himself from Tej Pratap because of his ‘irresponsible behavior’. Following his expulsion from the party, Tej Pratap accused others of orchestrating schemes against him and his younger brother, Tejashwi Yadav, leading to a subsequent distancing from his sisters on social media.
Tej Pratap has declared an alliance to contest the elections. He has announced a coalition with several smaller parties, including the Bhojpuria Jan Morcha (BJM), Vikas Vanchit Insan Party (VVIP), Sanyukt Kisan Vikas Party (SKVP), Pragatisheel Janata Party (PJP), and Wajib Adhikar Party (WAP).
Despite the limited support base of the parties involved in Tej Pratap Yadav’s alliance, political analysts suggest that this move might be sufficient to disrupt Tejashwi Yadav’s campaign. This is due to Tej Pratap’s focus on social justice, rights, and advocating for significant change in Bihar. He refrains from directly criticizing Tejashwi Yadav, instead accusing them of treachery.
Furthermore, he extends an invitation to the RJD and Congress to join forces, while explicitly rejecting any collaboration with the BJP based on ideological differences. Tej Pratap emphasizes his commitment to his principles, highlighting social justice as his guiding principle and his understanding of how it should be implemented.
There are indications that Tej Pratap Yadav is drawing inspiration from the political trajectory of Asaduddin Owaisi’s All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM). Following the AIMIM’s unsuccessful attempts to join the Mahagathbandhan, the AIMIM initiated efforts to establish a Third Front in Bihar. However, Tej Pratap preempted this by announcing his own alliance. This development has made the upcoming election a more compelling contest.
In the current political landscape, there are three main alliances competing: the NDA, comprised of Nitish Kumar and the BJP; the Mahagathbandhan, which includes the Congress, RJD, Left parties, and Mukesh Sahani’s party; Tej Pratap Yadav’s alliance; and the potential Fourth Front being spearheaded by the AIMIM.
Akhtarul Iman, the Bihar AIMIM president, has stated that a separate alliance will be announced after August 15th and that the details of the alliance will be revealed at that time. In previous elections, the AIMIM partnered with various parties, including the Rashtriya Lok Samata Party and the BSP.
This is particularly significant, as the votes of these opposition parties primarily come from Muslim, Dalit, and other backward communities. The proliferation of multiple opposition alliances could lead to a fragmentation of votes, potentially harming the Mahagathbandhan and benefiting the NDA led by the BJP and Nitish Kumar.
Although some political analysts are hesitant to overstate the significance of Tej Pratap Yadav’s alliance, given his lack of political maturity and his father’s disapproval, Tejashwi Yadav might still hold an advantage in the Bihar political landscape. This is due to his association with established parties like the Congress and Left parties, which enjoy a strong support base and will boost his confidence.