Tej Pratap seeks 2 seats for aides, quits student wing of party

PATNA: RJD chief Lalu Prasad’s elder son Tej Pratap, who had otherwise been keeping silent since the declaration of Lok Sabha election dates, dropped two bombshells on Thursday by seeking tickets for his candidates of choice for Jehanabad and Sheohar Lok Sabha seats and resigning as patron of the party’s student wing.

“I am resigning as patron of Chhatra RJD. Naadan hain woh log jo mujhe naadan samajhte hain (Those who think I am naive are mistaken),” Tej tweeted. Though Tej had called a press conference at the RJD office on Thursday to announce the names of Angesh Singh from Sheohar and Chandra Prakash from Jehanabad constituencies, he did not turn up to address the media.

Earlier in the day, Tej told reporters that he had apprised his younger brother Tejashwi Prasad Yadav of his two choices for Jehanabad and Sheohar Lok Sabha seats. “I have made an appeal to my Arjun (read Tejashwi) and will make an announcement in this regard at the press conference,” Tej had said. He also refuted reports of forming another party.

Tej told reporters that Angesh and Chandra Prakash were dedicated RJD workers. Angesh had contested Lok Sabha election in 2014 from Sheohar on a BSP ticket.

Chandra Prakash, Tej’s choice for Jehanabad seat, is the son of local RJD leader Chandrika Ray. RJD sources said the party would field Surendra Yadav from Jehanabad. “An announcement in this regard will be made on Friday. What Tej is doing is nothing but pressure politics,” said an RJD source.

Tej had left home in November last year after not getting support from his family while seeking divorce from his wife Aishwarya Rai, granddaughter of former CM Daroga Rai. After remaining elusive for four weeks, he returned to active politics by holding a janata darbar at RJD office on December 24.