Quitting politics, disowning my family: Lalu's daughter Rohini after RJD's poll debacle

Patna, Nov 15 (PTI) A day after the RJD was drubbed in the Bihar assembly polls, party president Lalu Prasad's daughter Rohini Acharya on Saturday blamed two close aides of her brother Tejashwi Yadav for the debacle. Acharya, who had caused a flutter in the afternoon with a post on X, announcing that she was "quitting politics" and "disowning" her family, vented spleen before journalists at the airport here prior to boarding a flight for Delhi.

"I have no family. Do not ask me anything. Pose questions to Tejashwi Yadav, Sanjay Yadav and Rameez. Somebody has to take responsibility," snapped Acharya when she was asked about her post.

Acharya, a doctor by qualification, who chose to become a homemaker and settled with her Singapore-based husband, had written: "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 is the Rajya Sabha MP of the RJD and one of the most trusted aides of Tejashwi Yadav, the son and heir apparent of RJD supremo Lalu Prasad.

Rameez is said to be Tejashwi's old friend, who hails from a political family in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh.

It was not clear from Acharya's post what exactly Sanjay Yadav and Rameez had said to her. The two were not available for comments.

However, in her brief interaction with reporters, Acharya said, "As a dedicated party worker, I am questioning the role of Sanjay and Rameez who pose as Chanakyas. But, if you even utter their name, you end up being insulted and have slippers thrown at you".

Acharya, who was in the news for donating a kidney to her father a few years ago, had unsuccessfully contested last year's Lok Sabha polls from Saran.

It was speculated that she was "unhappy" over the expulsion of Tej Pratap Yadav, elder son of Prasad, from the party. However, in the run-up to the assembly elections, she was seen campaigning for Tejashwi.

The RJD's seat tally slipped to 24 from 75 in the Bihar assembly polls, the results of which were declared on November 14.

The ruling NDA decimated the ‘Mahagathbandhan’ in Bihar to retain power, reaffirming Prime Minister Narendra Modi's popularity and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's enduring appeal, and dealing a body blow to the Congress and ally RJD. PTI NAC PKD RBT