Poonam Sharma
The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), the main opposition party in Bihar, is facing an unprecedented internal crisis. What started as a low-point moment on its high-profile “Bihar Adhikar Yatra” has gathered momentum to reach the proportions of a full-fledged political scandal. The incident has opened up long-repressed caste identity, leadership issue, and the role of outsiders within a party that was once perceived as the Yadav community’s impenetrable fortress.
The Spark on the Campaign Bus
On a halt in the “Bihar Adhikar Yatra,” Tejashwi Yadav’s campaign bus found itself at the centre of the storm in an unexpected manner. Customarily, the front seats in his luxury van are taken up by top brass and key strategists. But in one of the tour legs, this seat was held by Rohini Acharya, Lalu Prasad Yadav’s daughter based in the United States. Top RJD officials perceived this as a violation of hierarchy, seeing it as an indication that the leadership may be bypassing old loyalists and turning to the family’s more recent power hubs.
Haryana Lobby’s Growing Influence
Party veterans now talk of a “Haryana lobby” dominated by outsiders—professional and consultant politicians who have established the confidence of Tejashwi and his brothers. These newcomers are blamed for sidelining grassroots leaders and steering the party’s agenda away from its traditional social-justice theme to a more technocratic, urban-middle-class one. Critics say this experiment disempowers RJD’s old cadre, which is primarily constructed on the Yadav-Muslim axis.
Rohini Acharya in the Centre of the Storm
Rohini Acharya, who became a strident social-media campaigner for the Yadav family over the past few years, has now become a lightning rod. Her tweets on X (formerly Twitter) and her activities within Bihar politics while living abroad are looked upon suspiciously by local politicians. Many allege she is positioning herself as a future heir or at least a power broker in Tejashwi’s inner circle. The bus incident—where she reportedly gave instructions to senior party workers—has deepened this perception.
Yadav Community’s Eroding Loyalty
Perhaps the most serious implication of the current unrest is the visible disillusionment among the Yadav electorate. RJD, founded by Lalu Prasad Yadav in 1997, has historically been synonymous with Yadav political identity. But changes in Bihar’s socio-economic environment and generational shifts among the community have started to weaken that base. Several younger Yadav voters now complain that the party is more focused on the family than the community, and that Tejashwi has not been able to develop genuine local leadership.
This churn is further added to by BJP’s strategic overtures to Yadavs. By elevating Yadav leaders within its Bihar organization and focusing on development rather than caste politics, BJP has created fresh fissures in RJD’s historic vote bank. JD(U), led by Nitish Kumar, is also eroding this base further with welfare programs among backward castes and women.
Family Dynamics and the Succession Question
The scandal also highlights the sensitive balancing act within the Lalu family. With Lalu ill and half-retired, Tejashwi is the de facto leader, but siblings such as Rohini Acharya and Misa Bharti are no longer willing to stay in the shadows. Misa, who is a Rajya Sabha MP, is regarded as more cautious; Rohini, on the other hand, has been vocal, at times contradicting party seniors. This stage-managed jockeying cements the impression of a dynasty fighting itself.
Strategic Blunders
RJD’s effort to stage the “Bihar Adhikar Yatra” was meant to project a united, young party challenging the BJP-JD(U) regime on unemployment, migration, and inflation issues. The tour instead brought to light the cracks in the party. The media reported more about who occupied the place next to whom, who was not on the dais, and which district leaders avoided attending rallies.
The optics were damaging: half-empty seats in some rallies, half-hearted attendance from Yadav core areas, and palpable discomfort on the faces of veteran RJD stalwarts. This took the sheen off the narrative of an emerging opposition that was ready to take on the NDA in the 2025 assembly elections.
Why It Matters Nationally
The RJD crisis has implications beyond Bihar. As one of the pillars of the national opposition alliance, the stability of RJD influences alliance mathematics. If Tejashwi is unable to keep his party united, the collective bargaining position of the opposition as a whole against the BJP in the Hindi heartland is undermined. Additionally, internal fissures can embolden smaller regional outfits such as the VIP or RLSP to lure away unhappy leaders, further dividing the space against the BJP.
Possible Paths Forward
Tejashwi still has a lot of good will, particularly among the younger, city-based voters and segments of the intelligentsia who view him as a modernizer. To avoid further decay, he can do the following:
Reassert Control: Reaffirm party hierarchies and disciplinary standards to avoid public brawls.
Reengage the Grassroots: Launch cadre camps, increase district-level tours, and empower local leaders.
Clarify the Role of Family Members: Make a public announcement defining who the official party responsibilities among family members are to dispel rumors.
Recenter on Issues: Bring back the agenda to governance failures of the NDA regime in Bihar.
The Road Ahead
Whether this crisis turns out to be a footnote or a turning point would depend on how fast Tejashwi is able to shore up the party. If he manages to do so, RJD could be a more disciplined, modernized party ready to fight the 2025 electoral contest. If he does not manage to do so, the Yadav community’s disillusionment and the Haryana lobby’s increasing supremacy might set off a realignment in Bihar politics, much like Lalu Prasad once upended the Congress in the 1990s.
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