Expelled Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tej Pratap Yadav on Saturday announced that he will contest the upcoming assembly elections in Bihar from Mahua as an independent candidate. He made the announcement while speaking to reporters in Patna.
"Team Tej Pratap Yadav is a platform to reach the people... This time, Uncle (Nitish Kumar) will not become the Chief Minister," Tej Pratap was quoted as saying by news agency ANI. " Whoever's government is formed, if they talk about youth, employment, education, and health, Tej Pratap Yadav will stand with them with full strength. We will contest the election from Mahua; there are many opponents, they have started to feel the itch..."
Tej Pratap was expelled by his father Lalu Prasad Yadav from the RJD for six years because of his "irresponsible behaviour". Later, Lalu also snapped all ties with Tej Pratap, but the former Bihar minister made an emotional appeal to him, saying he and his mother Rabri Devi mean the entire world to him. He also alleged that some "greedy people" are playing politics with him.
Amid all the ongoing family feud, Tej Pratap on Friday unfollowed his sisters Misa Bharti, Raj Laxmi Yadav, Hema Yadav and other family members from 'X' (formerly known as Twitter). He also unfollowed the official handle of the RJD. However, he still follows Lalu Yadav, Rabri Devi and Tejashwi Yadav on 'X'.
Meanwhile, Tej Pratap had also given an indication earlier that he may contest the Bihar elections from Mahua assembly constituency in the Vaishali district even if he is not given a ticket by the RJD. Speaking to a media outlet earlier this week, the expelled RJD leader had called Mahua his "land of action".
Tej Pratap had first contested from Mahua, an RJD bastion, in the 2015 Bihar assembly elections, when he had defeated Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular)'s Ravindra Ray. However, this seat is currently represented by RJD's Mukesh Kumar Raushan, who had defeated Janata Dal-United (JD-U) leader Ashma Parveen in the 2020 assembly elections.
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