PATNA: Former minister and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad’s estranged son Tej Pratap Yadav on Friday said that he would prefer to die rather than return to the RJD, from which he was expelled a few months ago.
Tej Pratap, who is contesting the election from Mahua assembly constituency in Vaishali district as a Janshakti Janata Dal (JJD) candidate, said that he believes in principles and has no lust for power. “I am not power-hungry that I would switch sides,” he said.
The JJD founder added that self-respect is most important to him and he would never compromise it. “I work for people and people love me,” he said, adding that he is contesting the election from Mahua, the constituency where he began his political journey in 2025.
When asked about his younger brother Tejashwi Prasad Yadav being named as the chief ministerial candidate of the INDIA bloc for the upcoming election, Tej Pratap extended his good wishes and said he cannot use the ‘Sudarshan Chakra’ against his brother.
Without naming RJD MLA from Mahua, Mukesh Kumar Roshan, the JJD leader said that people had complained to him about the MLA during his election campaign. “When I was MLA from the seat, I used to listen to grievances of people,” he said.
When asked about poll promises made by the INDIA bloc’s CM face, Tej Pratap said that several leaders make promises to people to secure votes but forget them after being elected. “But I don’t belong to that category of politicians,” he added.
He said that he provided a medical college to Mahua and other technical institutions during his tenure as legislator. “I will work for all-round development of the constituency if elected once again,” he asserted.
He admitted that he has not been on talking terms with his father Lalu Prasad and mother Rabri Devi ever since he was expelled from the RJD and the family. “I have not met them for long, but their blessings are always with me,” he told the media.
Tej Pratap served as minister of health, environment, and climate change departments in the Mahagathbandhan government led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
He was expelled from the RJD for six years after he publicly revealed his relationship with a woman on social media. Lalu Prasad, in his letter, stated that disciplinary action was initiated against Tej Pratap for behaviour that contradicted the moral values upheld by the party and the family.
