Aishwarya Rai Dismisses Tej Pratap Yadav’s Expulsion From RJD As “Election Drama”

Aishwarya Rai, the estranged wife of Tej Pratap Yadav, on Monday dismissed his expulsion from the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) as a “drama” staged ahead of the upcoming elections. Her remarks come a day after RJD supremo and former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav expelled his eldest son, Tej Pratap, from both the party and the family.

Reacting to the expulsion, Aishwarya Rai told ANI that the decision lacked sincerity. "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, that is why they have taken such a step and created this drama," she said.

Lalu Yadav issued a formal statement on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), citing Tej Pratap's “irresponsible conduct” and failure to uphold the family's moral values as the reason for the expulsion. The statement read:

"The activities, public behaviour, and irresponsible conduct of my eldest son are not in line with our family's values and cultural ethos. Ignoring moral values in personal life weakens our collective struggle for social justice. Therefore, I remove him from the party and family for six years."

The action came in the wake of a controversial Facebook post from Tej Pratap’s verified account, where he allegedly claimed to be in a long-term relationship with a woman named Anushka Yadav. Following the backlash, Tej Pratap asserted that his social media account had been hacked and that his images were maliciously edited.

Aishwarya Rai is the granddaughter of former Bihar Chief Minister Daroga Prasad Rai. She married Tej Pratap Yadav in 2018, but the marriage soon turned contentious. Within months, she left her marital home alleging abuse and ill-treatment. The couple's divorce petition is currently pending in a family court.

Lalu Yadav, in his statement, also said that individuals within the family or party who wished to remain in contact with Tej Pratap were free to make their own decisions. "All those who will have relations with him should take their own decisions. I have always been an advocate of public shame in public life. The obedient members of the family have adopted and followed this idea in public life," he wrote.

This is not the first time Tej Pratap has been at the center of political and personal controversies, but this marks the most significant disciplinary action taken by the RJD leadership against him.

The expulsion comes at a time when political parties in Bihar are preparing for the upcoming elections, adding further intrigue to the unfolding family and party drama.