A day after a crushing defeat in the Bihar Assembly elections, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) reaffirmed its commitment to “public service” and called itself a “party of the poor.”
The party posted on X in Hindi: “Public service is an unceasing process, an endless journey! Ups and downs are inevitable in it. No sorrow in defeat, no arrogance in victory! The RJD is the party of the poor; it will continue to raise their voice among the poor!”
On Friday, the RJD-led Mahagathbandhan received a crushing defeat at the hands of the BJP-led NDA, which bagged 202 seats, leaving the opposition alliance with just 35, of which RJD got 25 seats.
But brave declarations apart, Bihar’s main opposition party seems to be unravelling, falling apart.
On Saturday, Rohini Acharya, daughter of party supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav, declared that she is quitting politics and cutting ties with both her family and the party—a move reflective of the deep turmoil within the RJD and the Yadav family, underscoring growing internal dissent. In a cryptic post, Rohini declared: “This is what Sanjay Yadav and Rameez had asked me to do…and I am taking all the blame.”
Sanjay Yadav is an RJD Rajya Sabha MP and is said to be among Tejashwi Yadav’s most trusted aides. Rameez, meanwhile, is reportedly Tejashwi’s old friend from a political family in Uttar Pradesh.
As she took upon herself all the blame for the crisis she hinted at, Rohini did not specify whether it was related to the election results or internal party dynamics. But the declaration underlined the extent of discord inside the influential Yadav household. Lalu’s elder son, Tej Pratap Yadav, has already been expelled from the party and formed his own political outfit, the Janshakti Janata Dal. Many believe Rohini was angry about Tej Pratap’s humiliation. Though she campaigned for Tejashwi, the post indicates unresolved tensions and frustration with the party’s leadership and family which have been visible for months through emotional and often critical social media posts. She even unfollowed significant political figures and family members.
The election results, where the RJD managed to secure only 25 seats, are a far cry from expectations. They have not only reignited power struggles within the party but are also threatening the future of the RJD. Party leaders attempted to downplay the fallout, calling it a private matter, but the challenge of restoring cohesion amid visible cracks within the RJD post-2025 Bihar elections is very real.
