Lalu’s Son Tej Pratap Floats New Party JJD, Symbol Blackboard
Patna: With the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections looming large, state politics has been jolted by a dramatic move from Tej Pratap Yadav, elder son of former CM Lalu Prasad Yadav. Expelled from the RJD, Tej Pratap has launched his own party — the Janshakti Janata Dal (JJD) — triggering a fresh storm both within his family and in Bihar’s political arena.
The Election Commission is expected to announce poll dates after October 6, making the timing of Tej Pratap’s announcement even more significant.
New Party with New Vision
The JJD’s election symbol is a blackboard, and its ideology has been coined as: “Jan-Jan ki Shakti, Jan-Jan Ka Raj, Bihar Ka Vikas Karenge Tej Pratap.” Launching posters and contact numbers on social media, Tej Pratap declared, “We are committed to building a new system, ensuring Bihar’s overall development, and ready for a long battle.”
Alliance of Smaller Parties
Earlier in August, Tej Pratap had stitched together an alliance with five regional outfits — the Vikas Vanchit Insaan Party (VVIP), Bhojpuri Jan Morcha (BJM), Pragatisheel Janata Party (PJB), Waajib Adhikar Party (WAP), and Samyukta Kisan Vikas Party. With JJD at the helm, the bloc may now attempt to project itself as a credible third front.
From RJD to Rebellion
Once a minister in the Nitish Kumar–Lalu Mahagathbandhan government, Tej Pratap was expelled from RJD following a controversial social media episode, which he later claimed was due to a hacked account. His ouster and subsequent rebellion mark a clear break with brother Tejashwi Yadav’s leadership of the RJD.
Family and State Politics at Crossroads
With the Yadav family divided and Bihar gearing up for elections, Tej Pratap’s bold step is expected to redraw caste equations, political loyalties, and electoral strategies in the state.
