Tej Pratap’s Wedding To Tejashwi’s Wife’s Name: When Lalu Yadav’s Family Intrigued Desis — Did It Impact RJD’s Poll Results?

Last Updated:November 14, 2025, 09:30 IST

Lalu Prasad Yadav and family shape Bihar elections with controversies, feuds, and legal battles, impacting RJD vote share and political dynamics.

Brothers Tej Pratap Yadav and Tejashwi Yadav have campaigned against each other in the Bihar polls.

Threaded through newsfeeds and social media, the lives of Lalu Prasad Yadav and his sprawling political family has often captured public attention and sometimes even eclipsed political headlines. As Bihar election results pour in, the focus is not only on which party will cross the halfway mark of 122 seats, but also on how the dynamics of one of its most well-known political families have influenced the narrative.

At the centre of the Bihar poll battle is the Yadav family. Lalu Prasad Yadav and his wife Rabri Devi, both former Chief Ministers of Bihar, have nine children, two of whom, Tejashwi Yadav and Tej Pratap Yadav, are prominent political figures. Their daughters, too, either hold public roles or are married into influential political families.

Times When Lalu’s Family Made News:

Name‑change controversy of Tejashwi Yadav’s wife

In 2021, Tejashwi Yadav married his long‑time girlfriend, Rachel Godinho. Soon after, the media reported that her name was changed to “Rajshree Yadav", triggering questions. In July, Union minister Giriraj Singh publicly questioned how she became a voter and why the name‑change was made.

Public feud and expulsion of Tej Pratap Yadav

On  May 25,  2025, Lalu Prasad Yadav announced that Tej Pratap would be expelled from the party Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) for six years and disassociated from the family, citing behaviour inconsistent with family and party values.

The trigger was a viral social‑media post where Tej Pratap claimed a 12‑year relationship with a woman named Anushka Yadav, despite his marriage to Aishwarya Rai. In August 2025, Tej Pratap floated his own party, Janshakti Janata Dal.

Guests Steal Crockery At Tej Pratap’s Wedding

Tej Pratap Yadav’s wedding to Aishwarya Rai in May 2018 was chaotic. A large crowd breached the security arrangements, looted food and crockery, and caused disorder at the venue. Organisers had prepared for around 7,000 guests, but shortly after the ceremony began, people entered the VIP section, overturned tables, and took utensils.

Daughter Rohini Acharya’s Social‑media Tebellion

In September 2025, Rohini Acharya unfollowed Lalu Yadav and brother Tejashwi Yadav on her social media account. Reports suggest her grievance was linked to the influence of a close aide of Tejashwi (Sanjay Yadav) within the family and party structure. She lost the high-profile Saran Lok Sabha seat to the BJP in 2024.

Legal And Electoral‑roll Controversies

In August 2025, Tejashwi Yadav claimed his name had been removed from the draft electoral rolls in Bihar, but the election authorities refuted the claim.

Fodder  Scam

The saga of the fodder scam, a massive defalcation of public funds from animal‑husbandry treasuries in undivided Bihar, has followed Lalu Prasad Yadav for decades. The 1996 scam allegedly involved around Rs 950 crore siphoned from multiple treasuries, with fake bills and inflated withdrawals.

In May 2022, a special CBI court found Lalu Yadav guilty in the Doranda treasury case (one of the episodes in the Fodder Scam) involving Rs 139.35 crore. In July 2025, the Jharkhand High Court admitted the CBI’s appeal to increase his sentence in a case tied to Rs 89.27 lakh withdrawal.

IRCTC‑Hotel Tenders Case

A new front opened in October 2025 when a Delhi court framed corruption and criminal‑conspiracy charges against Lalu Yadav, Rabri Devi and Tejashwi Yadav in the context of tenders for maintenance contracts of hotels owned by the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) during Lalu’s tenure as Railway Minister (2004‑2009).

The CBI alleged that in return for favourable tenders, land was transferred via a shell company. In November, the CBI presented a list of about 12 witnesses against the family in this case. The trial is underway.

Land‑For‑Job Scam

In 2023, the CBI filed chargesheets against Lalu Yadav, Rabri Devi, Tejashwi Yadav and others, alleging that during Lalu’s tenure as Railway Minister, there were appointments in Group‑D posts (West Central Zone, Railways) in exchange for land parcels transferred to the family or associates.

A Delhi court deferred its decision on whether to formally frame charges to December 4, 2025.

Opponents Fire And Impact On RJD Vote Share

The public feud within Lalu Prasad Yadav’s family was actively exploited by opposition parties like the BJP and JD(U) to question the RJD’s unity and effectiveness. The family disputes also had a direct impact on vote shares in key constituencies during the 2025 Bihar elections.

In Mahua, once a stronghold of Tej Pratap Yadav, the RJD vote was split three ways between him, the official RJD candidate Mukesh Kumar Raushan, and LJP candidate Sanjay Singh, allowing the NDA to gain an advantage.

In Raghopur, a traditional Yadav bastion, Tejashwi Yadav is facing a tougher contest from the BJP. Across other Yadav-dominated areas, Tej Pratap fielded candidates in 43 seats, many formerly RJD strongholds.

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