Bihar: Lalu’s son-in-law attends meeting chaired by Minister Tej Pratap, sparks row; BJP slams RJD

New Delhi: In what came as an embarrassment for the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and left the Lalu family in a fix, the party supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav’s son-in-law was seen attending a departmental meeting called by Minister & his son Tej Pratap.

Tej Pratap was recently inducted as Environment, Forest and Climate change minister in the Nitish cabinet on August 16.

As the pictures of Lalu’s eldest son-in-law Shailesh Kumar went viral on social media, the BJP launched a scathing attack on the RJD and accused it turning the government into ‘family fiefdom’.

Shailesh Kumar reportedly attended 2 consecutive meetings, one on Aug 17 & second on Aug 18. In Aug 17 meeting, he was reportedly seen sitting with department officials while in Aug 18 meet of Bihar Pollution Control Board, he was seen sitting along with Tej Pratap

A couple of Bihar BJP leaders took objection to RJD’s open disregard for official protocols and asked was Tej Pratap taking the department for granted or was he acting at the behest of someone else?

बिहार के वन एवं पर्यावरण मंत्री श्री तेज प्रताप यादव को कोई हल्के में ना ले। हमारे भाई शैलेश जी भी साथ बैठे हैं।

मेरा दावा है कि राजद के सभी मंत्रियों से शैलेशजी ज्यादा समझदार- ज्ञानी- टैलेंटेड जरूर हैं। शैलेश भाई का आशीर्वाद रहा तो तेज प्रताप सबसे बेस्ट मिनिस्टर साबित होंगे। pic.twitter.com/vXjnDd2e7b

— Nikhil Anand (@NikhilAnandBJP) August 18, 2022

“Nobody should take Tej Pratap Yadav lightly. Shailesh is also seen sitting in the meeting. I can vouch for that of all the ministers from the RJD, Kota Kumar is the most intelligent, knowledgeable, and talented. If Shailesh Kumar’s blessings are with Tej Pratap, then he will emerge as the best minister in the government”, a BJP spokesperson tweeted.

RJD faces heat over charges on Ministers

This is not the first case of Lalu’s family finding itself embroiled in controversy. During RJD’s 15 year tenure in Bihar, Rabri Devi’s brothers were said to have control of departments and they reported called the shots in many decisions.

The latest JD(U)-RJD alliance has also been rocked by controversy days after cobbling alliance for government formation. RJD MLC Kartik Singh, who took oath as Law Minister in Bihar govt had an arrest warrant issued against him.