Patna: Lalu Prasad Yadav’s daughter, Rohini Acharya, on Saturday publicly criticised members of her own family for allegedly destroying the legacy built by the RJD supremo, asserting that outsiders are not needed to tarnish the family’s political heritage. In a post on social media platform X, Acharya claimed that the damage to the party and its legacy is being caused from within the family itself.

Without naming any individual, she wrote:

“There is no need for outsiders to destroy the great legacy that was created and established with a great effort….our loved ones are enough for that. ‘Newly made own’ and ‘our own’ are more than enough.”

She further lamented that it is “shocking that our own are trying to wipe out signs of those who gave identity and existence to a legacy,” highlighting internal conflicts that she perceives as threatening the party’s historical significance.

Critique of Internal Arrogance

Acharya pointed to arrogance and misplaced power as reasons for the current situation, stating:

“When arrogance takes over, destructive forces become the eyes, nose, and ears…such forces control a person’s thinking and judgment. It happens when the veil falls over wisdom.”

Her comments were widely interpreted as a reaction to recent developments within the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), particularly the expulsion of Tej Pratap Yadav, the elder son of Lalu Prasad, from the party.

Rohini Acharya’s Political Background

Rohini Acharya, a doctor by profession, had previously indicated her disillusionment with party politics. Following the RJD’s poor performance in the Bihar Assembly elections last year, she announced that she was quitting politics and had distanced herself from her family. In a November post on social media, she stated:

“I am quitting politics, and I am disowning my family…This is what Sanjay Yadav and Rameez had asked me to do …and I am taking all the blame.”

Sanjay Yadav, a Rajya Sabha MP from RJD, is known as a trusted aide of Tejashwi Yadav, the RJD supremo’s younger son and heir apparent. Rameez, another individual mentioned by Acharya, is reportedly an old friend of Tejashwi from a political family in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh.

Political Context

Rohini Acharya has previously been in the news for donating a kidney to her father, demonstrating personal loyalty, but her political journey has been less successful. She unsuccessfully contested last year’s Lok Sabha elections from Saran. Meanwhile, the RJD suffered a significant setback in the Bihar Assembly elections, with its seat tally plunging from 75 to 24, highlighting internal weaknesses and possibly contributing to her recent criticisms.

Family Dynamics

Acharya’s statement underscores growing internal friction within the RJD family, with speculation that her criticism stems from disapproval of decisions taken by party members closely associated with Tejashwi Yadav. Her remarks signal concerns about power concentration and decision-making within the party, with some members allegedly sidelining the contributions of earlier leaders and diminishing the legacy of Lalu Prasad Yadav.

By calling out internal actors rather than external rivals, Rohini Acharya has highlighted what she perceives as the vulnerability of the party’s legacy to familial conflicts, suggesting that the RJD’s historical achievements risk being undermined from within.

Her social media post has already triggered conversations about succession, loyalty, and accountability in the RJD, as the party seeks to regroup after electoral defeats and internal disputes.