Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Nov 15: In a decision that may further widen the rift within the family, Rohini Acharya, the daughter of the veteran Bihar politician and chief of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) Lalu Prasad Yadav, on Saturday announced that she was quitting politics and also “disown the family.”
Ms Acharya, a medical professional, who donated a kidney to her father to save the veteran leader’s life a couple of years ago, announced quitting politics a day after the RJD, currently led by her brother Tejashwi Yadav and the face of the opposition coalition “Mahagathbandhan,” suffered a devastating loss in the state Assembly elections as the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) romped home 202 seats in the 243-member House.
In a cryptic post on X, Acharya indicated that she had been asked to do so by senior RJD leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Yadav, who is a close aide of Tejashwi Yadav, and Rameez. She also said she was “taking the blame” but did not clarify what the blame for, whether she was referring to the Bihar election defeat or something else.
“I’m quitting politics and I’m disowning my family… This is what Sanjay Yadav and Rameez had asked me to do …and I’m taking all the blame’s (sic),” she wrote. Acharya’s post will add to turmoil within the family and the party, which has already seen the expulsion of Lalu Yadav’s eldest son, Tej Pratap, who formed a new party and unsuccessfully contested the elections, even losing his own seat Mahua.
Sanjay Yadav is the Rajya Sabha MP from RJD and one of the most trusted aides of Tejashwi Yadav, the son and heir apparent of RJD supremo Lalu Prasad. Rameez is said to be Tejashwi’s old friend who hails from a political family in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh. It was not clear from Acharya’s post what exactly Sanjay Yadav and Rameez had said to her. The duo also did not make any comment.
Ms Acharya, a doctor by qualification, who chose to become a homemaker and settled with her Singapore-based husband, was in the news for donating a kidney to her father, had also unsuccessfully contested last year’s Lok Sabha polls from Saran.
Acharya, who was reportedly unhappy over Tej Pratap Yadav’s expulsion, had been signalling her frustrations with the party even in the run-up to the Bihar Assembly elections, but seemed to post conciliatory messages as well. Around September, Acharya had un-followed all political leaders and family members on social media and then put up a post saying misinformation was being spread about her.
“I openly challenge all those with wicked thoughts and those who encourage such people. If anyone can prove that I have ever made any request to anyone for myself or anyone else, and that the claim that I donated my kidney to my respected father is a lie, then I will withdraw from political and public life,” she had written on X.
“If those making accusations cannot prove their lies and propaganda, they should have the courage to publicly apologise to me and every mother, sister, and daughter of the country… and pledge never to spread such false information again,” she added.
However, during the Assembly elections, she was seen campaigning for Tejashwi. On November 9 between the two phases of polling, Acharya had wished her brother Tejashwi on his birthday and praised him and his leadership. “Young in age, but with a true heart and true to his word. ‘Karamveer’ – Our dutiful brother Tejashwi. May all your dreams come true, may you turn the dreams of Bihar’s youth – along with all the people of Bihar – into reality, and may your life always be filled with happiness,” she had posted. Her other recent posts were also in support of the party.
The Janata Dal (United) said the decision of Rohini Acharya to quit politics and disown family was made out of “pain.” JD(U) leader Neeraj Kumar, reacting to the news, said Ms Acharya “who saved the life of Lalu Yadav” is now saying “in pain” that she is quitting party and disowning family. “It is a big question on Lalu Yadav and Rabri Devi, her mother.” Neeraj said.
BJP leader Ram Kripal Yadav said this was her family matter, adding that the feud was happening in front of everyone, and all are witnessing it. Lalu Yadav in May this year had announced he was expelling his elder son, Tej Pratap Yadav, from the RJD for six years and removing him from the family. This happened after Tej Pratap Yadav, on his Facebook page, was seen with a woman who the caption referred to as his ‘partner.’
Another BJP leader Dilip Jaiswal said on Saturday it was unfortunate that Lalu Yadav’s family was falling apart. “We have heard that she (Rohini Acharya) even donated her kidney to Lalu Prasad Yadav. It is unfortunate that Lalu Yadav’s family is falling apart. A family should stay united,” he said.
Meanwhile, a day after facing a severe drubbing in Bihar, the Congress on Saturday questioned the role of the Election Commission in the poll process while its top leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, went into a huddle to discuss the poll outcome.
Mr Kharge and Mr Gandhi were joined by AICC general secretary (Organisation) K.C. Venugopal, party treasurer Ajay Maken and AICC Bihar in-charge Krishna Allavaru, sources said. According to the sources, the leaders met to discuss the Congress’ poor performance in Bihar, where the party won only six of the 61 seats it contested, its second-worst show in the State after 2010, when it won only four seats.
Mr Gandhi did not speak to the media persons after the meeting. Asked about the Bihar poll outcome and the party’s poor performance, Mr Venugopal sought to put the entire blame on the Election Commission of India (ECI), alleging that the entire poll process was questionable and there was no transparency. The party would soon analyse the result and would come out with concrete proof in the next few weeks, he said.
“This result that has come from Bihar is unbelievable for all of us. This is not only for Congress. The entire Bihar people are not believing it and also our alliance partners. We discussed with all of them; they are not believing it,” Mr Venugopal said.
“Because, a 90% plus strike rate for a political party — which has not happened in Indian history. We are doing a thorough analysis; we are collecting data from across Bihar. Within one or two weeks, we will come out with concrete proof,” he told reporters.
Alleging that the process of electioneering is “completely questionable,” he said the party leaders have been continuously raising the issue during electioneering. “The Election Commission is totally one-sided. Whatever they are doing, there is no transparency at all, and therefore, this process is questionable. Anyway, we will collect all data from everywhere from entire Bihar and then present the facts,” he said.
Asked about Mr Gandhi’s comments calling the election “not fair,” Mr Venugopal said, “We have been talking about the Election Commission (role) and we talked about this during the Haryana elections – that the Haryana election is rigged.” “We have come out with evidence and have the Election Commission question our evidence,” he asked. “On Bihar polls also, we will come with concrete proof,” he said.
On Friday Mr Gandhi had said the Bihar election result was surprising. The election was not fair from the very beginning, and that is why the party could not achieve anything much, he claimed. Mr Gandhi also said the Congress and the INDIA bloc would conduct an in-depth review of the results.
The Congress had also claimed that the election results in Bihar without doubt reflect “vote chori on a gigantic scale – masterminded by the PM, the HM, and the Election Commission.” Rahul Gandhi’s poll campaign against the BJP had revolved around his “Vote Chori”(vote theft) allegations.