RJD in Turmoil as Tejashwi Overturns Father's Ticket Distribution
In a dramatic and politically charged series of events, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has been thrown into a state of internal confusion just weeks before the Bihar Assembly polls. A number of party leaders who had been given official party symbols by RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav on Monday evening were abruptly asked to return them late the same night. The unprecedented recall was reportedly initiated by his son and heir apparent, Tejashwi Yadav, who intervened to halt the premature distribution of tickets, citing the delicate and as-yet-unresolved seat-sharing negotiations with the RJD's INDIA bloc allies.
The incident has exposed a potential rift in strategy and authority at the very top of Bihar's main opposition party. It paints a picture of a classic power dynamic, pitting the unilateral, old-school political style of the party patriarch against the more coalition-focused, cautious approach of his son, who is the face of the opposition alliance in the state. The late-night reversal has not only created embarrassment for the candidates but has also laid bare the tensions underpinning the alliance's readiness for the impending electoral battle.
A Premature Celebration Cut Short
The sequence of events began on Monday, shortly after Lalu Prasad Yadav returned from a trip to Delhi. In a move reminiscent of his past political manoeuvres, he immediately began distributing party symbols to several key candidates, effectively confirming their tickets for the upcoming Assembly elections. Among those who were seen leaving the party supremo's residence, jubilantly waving the party symbol, were several sitting MLAs and prominent defectors from other parties, including Sunil Singh, who recently quit the ruling JD(U).
However, the celebrations were short-lived. Tejashwi Yadav, who returned from Delhi several hours after his father, was reportedly displeased with the development. He had just come from an inconclusive meeting with Congress general secretary KC Venugopal regarding the final seat-sharing formula for the INDIA bloc. With the Congress reportedly holding firm on a demand for 70 seats—a number the RJD finds untenable—the negotiations remain at a critical and sensitive stage. According to party sources, Tejashwi impressed upon his father that publicly distributing tickets before a deal was struck would severely undermine the alliance's unity and send the wrong message to their partners.
Shift in Strategy and Authority
Following Tejashwi's intervention, the distribution of symbols was brought to an immediate halt. Well past midnight, phone calls were made to the candidates who had already received their tickets, instructing them to return the symbols due to unspecified "technical issues." This official explanation did little to mask the reality of the situation: a direct course correction initiated by the younger Yadav. The incident marks a significant departure from past practices. During the previous Lok Sabha polls, Lalu Prasad Yadav had successfully employed a similar tactic of unilaterally distributing tickets, forcing allies to eventually fall in line.
This time, Tejashwi's decisive action suggests a different approach, one that prioritizes the stability and cohesion of the coalition over the unilateral assertion of the RJD's dominance. As the primary negotiator for the alliance, his concern over the optics of the situation highlights his growing authority and his role as the central figure responsible for holding the disparate parts of the opposition bloc together. The event has become a clear indicator of the evolving power dynamics within the RJD, as well as the fragile state of the alliance's electoral preparations.
