Tejashwi Missing Campaign Reaches Fever Pitch: Is He Evading The Media After Poll Drubbing?

The political conflict brewing within Lalu Prasad Yadav’s family has given his opponents fresh ammunition to tighten their political siege around both Lalu and Tejashwi Yadav. Lalu Prasad Yadav, who has been targeted over allegations of corruption and dynastic politics, is now facing charges of being anti-daughters.

In Bihar, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Janata Dal (United) have found political space to attack Lalu after his daughter Rohini Acharya levelled serious allegations against her brother, Tejashwi Yadav, after the Bihar Assembly election results. We will elaborate upon these accusations, described by many as political bombs. For now, it is important to examine how the BJP has used Lalu Prasad Yadav as a pretext to sharpen its attack on Tejashwi Yadav.

Recently, RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav underwent eye surgery in Delhi. During this time, his eldest daughter and Lok Sabha MP Misa Bharti remained by his side. On December 21, Bihar BJP spokesperson Neeraj Kumar took a swipe at this on the social media platform X, by writing: “When Lalu Yadav underwent kidney surgery, daughter Rohini donated her kidney. When he underwent eye surgery, his daughter Misa stood by him. But when it comes to property or party succession, only Tejashwi comes to Lalu ji’s mind. Is this Lalu’s anti-daughter mindset? Isn’t this anti-women? Lalu ji is a hardcore supporter of patriarchy. There is a huge gap between what he says and what he does.”

The BJP has also released a video titled “Missing,” followed by a poster campaign portraying Tejashwi Yadav as absent from Bihar politics since the Assembly election results. Using these visuals, the party mocked Tejashwi’s absence from the assembly and limited media presence, presenting it as an attempt to evade accountability after defeat.

The RJD won just 35 seats in the 243 member assembly.

Tejashwi Yadav’s disappearance and Rohini Acharya’s rebellion show a deeper challenge for the RJD than merely countering opposition attacks. Tejashwi’s sudden retreat from public view is being interpreted not just as a personal strategy but also as a sign of internal family and political tension. The opposition and social media have already started framing this absence as an escape from moral responsibility after defeat.

After the election results, Tejashwi left Bihar. When the Assembly session began, he did attend briefly but mostly remained confined to ceremonial roles. He took the oath as Leader of the Opposition, escorted the Speaker to the chair as per constitutional convention, and within two days left again.

According to sources, Tejashwi Yadav is currently abroad with his family, probably for a Christmas holiday (given that his wife belongs to the Christian community). His reluctance to face the media after the electoral loss has highlighted a contrast with Lalu Prasad Yadav, who historically confronted crises or losses directly.

Senior journalist Manikant Thakur told Outlook that Tejashwi should have emerged stronger after the defeat. He further says, “When a party is passing through its worst phase and its tallest leader abandons the field, it reveals that leader’s ground-level credibility. I believe Tejashwi Yadav is not a mass leader.”

The internal conflict within the Lalu family, which has been simmering for a long time, has surfaced sharply after the RJD’s electoral defeat. According to Thakur, Misa Bharti, the eldest child and the first to enter politics, viewed herself as the natural heir. However, Lalu Prasad Yadav’s mindset, he argues, was always inclined towards passing the political legacy to a son.

Over the past two years, ambitions that once resided with Misa have emerged in the form of Rohini Acharya, whose political assertiveness has become increasingly visible. Another major factor, Thakur says, is Tejashwi’s inner circle, which is led by Sanjay Yadav. Though several members of the Lalu family were unhappy with Sanjay Yadav’s growing influence. Thakur believes that Tejashwi was misled by this group and was gradually sidelined even Lalu Prasad Yadav.

Lalu Prasad Yadav and Rabri Devi have nine children, including seven daughters and two sons. Misa Bharti is the eldest, while Rohini Acharya, a doctor living in Singapore, is among the middle siblings. Rohini contested the Saran Lok Sabha seat on an RJD ticket last year but lost. Her public prominence rose after she donated her kidney to her father, and she has remained vocal on social media since.

Both Rohini and Tej Pratap Yadav have been central to the current undercurrent of dissent. When still in the party, Tej Pratap repeatedly accused Sanjay Yadav of weakening the organisation and sowing discord within the family. During the same period, Rohini conveyed similar sentiments indirectly online. Once Tej Pratap distanced himself from the party, both he and Rohini began openly criticising Sanjay Yadav.

Sanjay Yadav, originally from Haryana, is considered a close aide and strategic collaborator of Tejashwi Yadav. He has significant influence over organisational and political decisions. In recent months, his name has repeatedly surfaced at the centre of internal controversy.

Election analyst Mahendra Suman offers a contrarian view, arguing that the media has exaggerated the Lalu family conflict. He notes that similar disputes exist across political parties, whether in the Congress, the DMK, or the Samajwadi Party, and that the Lalu family is not an exception. The intensity of coverage, he says, is due to the RJD’s long tenure in power and the family’s size.

Suman also believes that Tejashwi’s position as Lalu Yadav’s political successor remains intact. However, with the party in crisis, questions are now being raised about his authority and experience rather than his legitimacy.

In an attempt to mend the damage and restore unity, Lalu Prasad Yadav has reportedly brought in senior leader and RJD founding member Jagdanand Singh. Sources say Lalu personally urged him to step in and help stabilise the party. Since then, Jagdanand Singh has become active again, working to mediate in internal differences. There are indications that tensions within the RJD have largely been brought under control.

Ultimately, in the post-election landscape, Tejashwi’s silence, Rohini’s assertiveness, and Tej Pratap’s marginalisation together expose the RJD’s real challenge. More than the external political battle, the party is now confronting the far more complex task of managing internal balance and leadership transition at a moment of electoral vulnerability.