'I’m disowning my family': Lalu’s daughter Rohini Acharya exits politics, cuts family ties

Lalu Prasad Yadav’s daughter Rohini Acharya on Thursday announced that she was quitting politics and cutting ties with her family, a dramatic declaration made just a day after the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) suffered a crushing defeat in the Bihar Assembly elections. Her announcement, posted on X, instantly triggered political chatter within the party’s already shaken ranks.

Acharya said the decision was taken on the advice of RJD rebel Sanjay Yadav and her husband Rameez Alam. In her brief but stark message, she wrote: "I'm quitting politics, and I'm disowning my family. This is what Sanjay Yadav and Rameez had asked me to do and I'm taking all the blame."

Rohini Acharya, a medical professional and former RJD leader, had earlier contested the 2024 Lok Sabha polls from Saran but was decisively defeated by the BJP’s Rajeev Pratap Rudy.

This development comes against the backdrop of escalating tensions within the Yadav household. Just months ago, Lalu Prasad Yadav had publicly distanced himself from his elder son, Tej Pratap Yadav, and removed him from the Rashtriya Janata Dal. The fallout followed Tej Pratap’s declaration of a long-term relationship with Anushka Yadav in May, a revelation that intensified the already simmering family conflict.

The controversy began when Tej Pratap posted on Facebook claiming he had been in a 12-year relationship with Anushka while his divorce proceedings were still underway. He later alleged that his social media account had been compromised, but by then the issue had already grown.

A visibly angry Lalu Prasad responded by suspending Tej Pratap from the party for six years and severing personal ties. He said his son’s conduct was reckless and went against the principles he expected the family to uphold.