The security detail of Janshakti Janata Dal chief Tej Pratap Yadav was increased this week following death threats from his “enemies”. The development came amidst the Bihar Assembly elections — mere days after the former RJD leader contested from Mahua as a JJD candidate. Yadav claimed that he was “under threat” and facing the possibility of death.
“My security has been increased because there is a threat to my life. I am under threat. People will get me killed. There are many enemies who are working (to get me killed). Everyone seems like an enemy,” Yadav told reporters in Patna.
He also wished his estranged younger brother a happy birthday and insisted that his blessings were always with Tejashwi Yadav. The two had come face to face earlier this week in an awkward encounter at Patna airport. The brief show of camaraderie comes after a bitter spell that included Tejashwi campaigning against his older brother in Mahua.
Tej Pratap was expelled from the RJD on May 25 for six years, a day after he reportedly confessed to being ‘in a relationship’ with a woman. He, however, deleted the social media post later with a claim that his page was “hacked”. Lalu Prasad also disowned Tej Pratap due to his “irresponsible behaviour”. A few days later, after his expulsion from the party, Tej Pratap had alleged that there was a “conspiracy” to drive a wedge between him and his younger brother. He had voiced his sentiments in a couple of posts on his X handle, blaming the crisis on ‘Jaichand’, a metaphor for traitors.
‘Would choose death over return to RJD’
The Janshakti Janta Dal leader had also shut down all possibility of a reconciliation in late October — insisting that he would prefer death. He had also made light of his younger brother being named as Chief Ministerial candidate by the INDIA bloc ahead of the Bihar polls. Yadav contended that “one needs the people’s blessings to occupy the seat of power”.
“I would choose death over returning to that party. I am not hungry for power. Principles and self-respect are supreme for me. The biggest thing for me is to work for the people. I sincerely do that and people love and trust me,” he had told PTI upon being asked about a return to RJD.
(With inputs from agencies)
