Lalu Yadav names Tejashwi as RJD's National Working President; Rohini Acharya calls it "prince-turned-puppet"

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) patriarch Lalu Prasad Yadav officially appointed his younger son, Tejashwi Yadav, as the party’s National Working President on Sunday. The announcement was made during the RJD’s national executive meeting in Patna, where the 36-year-old leader was unanimously endorsed by party seniors. This move effectively grants Tejashwi full operational command over the party’s routine decision-making and organizational structure, as the RJD seeks to recalibrate its strategy following a dismal performance in the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections.

However, the coronation was overshadowed by a scathing social media outburst from Tejashwi’s elder sister, Rohini Acharya. Hours before the meeting, Acharya took to X (formerly Twitter) to claim that the party’s control has slipped into the "hands of infiltrators and conspirators" whose primary goal is to destroy "Laluvad" (Laluism). In a veiled but pointed attack, she referred to the new leadership as a "prince-turned-puppet" in the hands of a "sycophant gang," alleging that the core ideology of the party is being compromised by outside advisors.

The internal rift within the Yadav family has become increasingly public since the RJD’s seat tally plummeted to 24 in the last state election. Rohini had previously announced a "break from politics" and severed ties with her maternal family, blaming close aides of Tejashwi—specifically Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Yadav and associate Rameez Nemat Khan—for the electoral debacle and alleged mistreatment. Her latest comments suggest that the rift remains unresolved, despite the party's official attempt to project a united front under Tejashwi's leadership.