DID TEJASHWI RETURN TO LALU’S PATH OUT OF FEAR OF TEZ PRATAP

DID TEJASHWI RETURN TO LALU’S PATH OUT OF FEAR OF TEZ PRATAP

18-AUG-ENG 4

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

SASARAM-----------------------The truth of Bihar politics is that here the public weighs not just the speech, but the leader's tone, style and ground connection. Lalu Yadav's presence and his style is still the biggest strength for RJD....

A unique combination of humor, satire and sarcasm has always been seen in Bihar politics. But this time in the Sasaram rally, when Tejaswi Yadav attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said - "Modi ji wants to cheat the Biharis, but this is Bihar, here lime is rubbed with Khaini", the whole atmosphere started reminding of the old days of Lalu Prasad Yadav. This statement was not just a funny taunt, but was the announcement of Tejashwi Yadav's new or say old style in the local politics of Bihar.

Tejashwi Yadav has been in politics for the last decade. He changed his image many times. When he became the Deputy Chief Minister in 2015, he presented himself as a modern, restrained and developmental leader. Activeness on social media, well-thought-out statements in alliance with Nitish Kumar, and focus on Bihar's infrastructure were part of his new style. But JDU's return to NDA in 2024 shocked the Mahagathbandhan, and Tejashwi had to change his strategy. Now he is seen adopting his father Lalu Yadav's Desi-Tashak style again.

The question is being raised that why is Tejashwi changing his image? The answer is hidden at many levels. The biggest reason is the 2025 assembly elections, which is a do or die battle for Tejashwi. He is constantly cornering the BJP-JDU government on issues like unemployment, education and health. But Bihari style politics has a greater impact than figures and speeches. Lalu Yadav had won the hearts of the people for decades with this style. Perhaps this is the reason why Tejashwi is now returning to that path.

The second aspect is the internal challenge of family politics. In recent times, elder brother Tej Pratap Yadav has increased his activism unexpectedly. Lalu Yadav's desi style is also reflected in his meetings and statements, and many times his influence has started to be seen among the ground workers. Tejashwi fears that if he keeps a serious, modern image, then RJD's traditional vote bank may lean towards Tej Pratap. Therefore, he is also resorting to "Lalu style", so that the hold on the party and the voters remains strong.

Sasaram's "khaini-chuna" jibe is a symbol of this strategy. It not only indicates direct connectivity with the public, but also tells that Tejashwi is now going to make his father's legacy his electoral capital. Now a mixture of sarcasm, humor and desi swagger will be seen more in his statements.

However, the challenge is not less. On one side there is the aggressive election machinery of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP, and on the other side there is Nitish Kumar's decent image and the story of good governance model. In such a situation, Tejashwi adopting Lalu style is also a risk. If the public finds it a "copy", then it can have the opposite effect. Nevertheless, the reality of Bihar politics is that the public here does not only weigh the speeches but also the tone, style and ground connection of the leader. Lalu Yadav's presence and his style are still the biggest strength for RJD. This new-old avatar of Tejashwi shows that he not only wants to carry forward his father's legacy but also wants to deal with the internal threats of the party.

However, Sasaram's khaini-chuna jibe is not just a line but an indication of Bihar's politics of 2025 where Tejashwi Yadav wants to unite RJD by connecting with the public in Lalu's style. But the real fight will be, will this desi style take him to the chair of the Chief Minister or will the BJP-JDU duo win again.