After the Bihar election results, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) is in a period of soul-searching—but this time, the focus is not purely on political failure: it is on the Yadav family itself. Rohini Acharya, daughter of Lalu Prasad Yadav, revealed her ire without sugarcoating her words, implying that her brother Tejashwi Yadav is under “misleading advisers” who led the party to the election’s disastrous outcome.
Family Conflict Goes Public
Rohini’s posts on X (previously, Twitter) have now sparked a major melee within the RJD. She expressed disillusionment with the election results and, without identifying anyone, indicated those counselling Tejashwi had received “misguided him at every key step on his way toward the elections.” Rohini’s outburst has broadened the embrace of perceptions of a family split—the RJD leadership had once suggested the family unit was not ruptured. Given Tej Pratap Yadav’s open animus toward his brother Tejashwi, Rohini’s remarks have made clear just how far the conflict runs within the family.
What Happened to the RJD?
Analysts contend that the RJD’s losses were not just due to the BJP-led coalition’s strong ground game but also because of mixed messaging within party ranks. Even though Tejashwi’s campaign was dedicated to jobs, education, and governance, and resonated with voters, the lacklustre overall management of organisational strategy and factionalism at the booth level impacted the party’s overall performance.
Rohini’s comments imply that Tejashwi relied too heavily on a network of advisers who misread voter sentiment in specific areas where the RJD once enjoyed a comfortable voter base.
Tejashwi: A Leader in a Tight Spot
While Tejashwi is the party’s most visible and popular face, he is arguably under significant pressure from both inside and outside the family. Rohini’s outburst hinted at a level of frustration around how Tejashwi was seemingly being protected by people who prioritised their own level of influence over that of the party’s electoral viability.
Sources within the RJD state that the nearly two-year leadership void created when Lalu Prasad Yadav fell out of the political arena created a deeper rupture in already deep-seated divisions.
The Future Ahead for RJD
The primary question is whether the RJD can revive before the 2029 Lok Sabha polls, which would require structural reform, greater grassroots activism, and a unified voice of leadership. The visible split in the Yadav family, however, complicates matters.
Rohini was unequivocal about the message: Tejashwi must take personal stock of who he can trust; redo his political core team; and strengthen the party from the ground up. If the internal dissent continues to fester, the RJD could lose further ground in Bihar’s rapidly changing political landscape.
