I will remain in politics, said Lalu Yadav's elder son Tej Pratap Yadav
Highlights
- Tej Pratap tweeted he was retiring from politics and then backtracked
- Tej Pratap Yadav denies any rift with his brother Tejashwi Yadav
- He refused to name the trouble mongers between him and Tejashwi
Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tej Pratap Yadav has stirred a controversy yet again but this time it relates to his party. On Saturday morning, he tweeted hinting that he would retire from politics. By evening, came the about turn when he said he was there to stay.
In his tweet, 29-year-old Tej Pratap Yadav drew references from the epic 'Mahabharat', saying he was thinking of going to Dwarka after installing Arjun - seen as a reference to his younger brother Tejashwi - as the king. "But there are some who feel troubled if I were to be called the kingmaker".
Ever since RJD chief Lalu Yadav was jailed in December last year in a corruption, his younger son Tejashwi Yadav took charge of the party and has been credited with leading it to at least three bypoll wins.
On the other hand, Tej Pratap Yadav who was Health Minister in the earlier Bihar government has courted controversy more than once. Last year when Lalu Yadav's security was downgraded, he had said he could "skin Prime Minister Narendra Modi" - a remark even his father had disapproved of.
Earlier this year, Tej Pratap Yadav was accused of illegally constructing a temple on the premises of a government bungalow that was allotted to him when he was a minister. He later vacated the accommodation months after the state government asked him to, alleging that Chief Minister NItish Kumar and his deputy Sushil Modi had
"let loose ghosts".
Tej Pratap Yadav denies any rift with his brother but says he is unhappy with the goings-on is the party, which he blamed on "anti-social elements" within the RJD.
"Tejashwi is close to my heart. Anti-social elements in the party are trying to drive a wedge between us. Those people should be thrown out of the party", said Tej Pratap Yadav. He refused to name the so-called trouble mongers.
With Tejashwi Yadav hogging the limelight, his elder brother who has no active role in the party feels slighted. "People in the party don't listen to me. There should be discipline", said Tej Pratap Yadav.