Tej Pratap had married Aishwarya Rai, the granddaughter of former Bihar Chief Minister Daroga Rai. However, the marriage was short-lived. After a few months, Aishwarya left the Yadav household, alleging that she had been driven out by her husband and his family members.
The next hearing in the divorce case of Tej Pratap Yadav and Aishwarya Rai has been scheduled for June 21 (Saturday) in the Patna court. Tej Pratap’s lawyer Jagannath said, “21st June is the next date given by the court. Tej Pratap did not come to court today, and there was no mention of Anushka Yadav in the court.”
Lalu Yadav expels elder son Tej Pratap from RJD
In a major political and personal development, RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav on Sunday announced the expulsion of his elder son, Tej Pratap Yadav, from the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) for six years, citing “irresponsible behaviour” and conduct that goes against the party’s and family’s values. Lalu also declared a complete severance of family ties with his son. The move follows Tej Pratap’s controversial social media post on Saturday, in which he claimed to have been in a 12-year relationship with another woman, despite being legally married and with his divorce case still pending in court. He later deleted the post and alleged that his Facebook account had been hacked.
Why was my life ruined?: Tej Pratap Yadav’s ex-wife, Aishwarya Rai
Aishwarya Rai, broke her silence on Monday (May 26), questioning the timing of Tej Pratap Yadav’s expulsion and accusing the family of ruining her life. Speaking to the media in Patna, Rai said, “Why was my life ruined? Why was I beaten? Now they have suddenly had a social awakening. They are all together. They have not separated. The elections are near, so they have taken such a step and created this drama.”
Tej Pratap had married Aishwarya Rai, the granddaughter of former Bihar Chief Minister Daroga Rai. However, the marriage was short-lived. After a few months, Aishwarya left the Yadav household, alleging that she had been driven out by her husband and his family members.
Although Lalu Prasad did not reference the post directly in his official announcement, he strongly criticised Tej Pratap’s recent actions, stating that such behaviour undermines the family’s shared commitment to social justice. “Disregard for moral values in personal life weakens our collective struggle,” he said.
Declaring the decision publicly, Lalu stated, “Tej Pratap Yadav has acted in ways not in consonance with the values of my family. He will have no role in the party or the family going forward. He is expelled for six years.”
The development comes just months ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections, where the RJD will contest under the leadership of Tejashwi Yadav, Lalu’s younger son and the Leader of Opposition in the Bihar Assembly. Responding to questions from the media, Tejashwi offered a measured reaction, saying:
“My elder brother is an adult and free to make choices in his personal life. But there are certain limits, and what has happened recently is unacceptable. That is what our national president has conveyed.”
Tej Pratap Yadav entered politics during the 2015 Bihar Assembly elections, winning from Mahua, and later contesting from Hasanpur in 2020. While he had brief stints as a state cabinet minister, his political journey has often been overshadowed by controversies, in contrast to his younger brother Tejashwi, who has emerged as a dominant face in Bihar politics.
Born to former chief ministers Lalu Prasad and Rabri Devi, Tej Pratap and Tejashwi are among four politically active siblings. Their sister, Misa Bharti, is the current RJD MP from Pataliputra, while another sister, Rohini Acharya, unsuccessfully contested from Saran in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Notably, both Tej Pratap and another sister, Hema Yadav, are facing investigation in the land-for-jobs scam, related to Lalu’s tenure as Railway Minister in the UPA government. Both were granted bail by a Delhi court in March this year. Tej Pratap’s expulsion marks a significant rift in Bihar’s most prominent political family and could have major implications for the RJD ahead of the state elections.