New Delhi: RJD chief Lalu Prasad has empowered his son, Tejashwi Yadav, with authority equivalent to his own within the party, ahead of the Assembly election in the State.
This decision positions Tejashwi as the frontrunner for the post of Chief Minister.
The decision was formalised during a meeting of the RJD’s National Executive held in Patna, attended by key leaders, including Lalu Prasad, his wife and former Chief Minister Rabri Devi, their eldest daughter and MP Misa Bharti, as well as the party’s MPs, MLAs, and MLCs.
Notably absent from the meeting were RJD State President Jagadanand Singh and his son, Sudhakar Singh, MP from Buxar. In Jagadanand’s absence, senior leader Ram Chandra Purve conducted the proceedings.
The party’s National Executive Committee amended the RJD constitution, authorising Tejashwi to make final decisions on critical matters such as the party’s name, symbol, and programmes.
Tejashwi, who spearheaded the RJD’s campaign in the 2020 Assembly elections, led the party to emerge as the single largest party with 75 seats.
The timing of this transition appears strategic, as Lalu Prasad, who has been battling health issues—including a cardiac surgery in 2014 and a kidney transplant in Singapore in 2022—has withdrawn from active leadership.
