After days of suspense over his whereabouts, RJD chief Lalu Prasad’s elder son Tej Pratap Yadav on Friday said he would be in Haridwar and asserted he would not come back home unless his parents accept his demand for divorce.

A day after applying for divorce, Tej Pratap had gone to Ranchi to meet father Lalu Prasad, who is incarcerated in the fodder scam and undergoing treatment at the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS).

However, having not got his father’s approval for divorce from his less-than-six-month-old wife, Aishwarya Rai, daughter of former Bihar minister Chandrika Rai, Tej Pratap left Ranchi and did not return home to Patna and was reportedly visiting temple towns of Varanasi, Vrindavan and later Haridwar.

Apparently upset over this, his mother, Rabri Devi is not performing the Chhath puja, which she has been doing for decades, even when she was the chief minister of Bihar in the late 90s and early 2000s.

Tej Pratap’s divorce has also apparently cast a shadow over the birthday of his younger brother and leader of the opposition Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, with the RJD’s rank and file not going in for gala celebrations.

Tejashwi was not in Patna, and preferred to leave for Delhi but was greeted by Tej Pratap on phone. Sources said Tejashwi went to New Delhi as he had hearing in court related to the IRCTC scam.

A close aide of Lalu Prasad and sitting Bahadurpur MLA, Bhola Yadav, however, said it was because she was not in good health.

“Rabri Devi is not well. Her health is not permitting her to observe the festival this time,” Bhola said, appealing to the media not to attach much importance to the Tej Pratap’s decision to divorce.

“It is a family matter and it would be sorted out by the family. Such things happen in all households and are resolved naturally,” he said.

Parents not supporting divorce decision: Tej Pratap

However, talking to a news channel, Tej Pratap said he was not coming home because his parents were not supporting him on his decision to divorce his wife, Aishwariya Rai.

The couple had got married on May 12 in Patna in a grand wedding attended by top leaders of several political parties.

He said he was on his way to Haridwar after having visited Vrindavan. For a couple of days, he was in Varanasi.

“I have not got support from my parents ever since I have filed a divorce petition seeking separation from my wife. I am feeling quite let down, harassed and have no reason to come home unless my parents accept my decision. I will come home when they accept my decision and also fulfill some of my other demands,” he said.

Tej Pratap maintained he had shared his agony over not his strained relationship with wife Aishwariya to his parents, including Lalu Prasad when he had met him in Ranch last Saturday, but lamented his parents were supportive. “Tell me, what should I do?“ he asked.

The RJD chief’s elder son also aired his ire over one Bipin who was spreading canards against him and even harassing his friends. Sources said Bipin is considered close to Tej Pratap’s family and his in-laws.

Tej Pratap also said there were some ‘duryodhans’ in his family, who were responsible for marital discord with his wife and also inducting people having criminal background in the party.

Insiders said Tej Pratap’s reference to ‘Duryodhans’ was in context to his three cousins, who have become quite powerful in the family and are calling the shots after Tejaswhi had become the No 2 in the party after the sentencing of the RJD chief in fodder scam cases. Lalu is at present undergoing treatment in RIMS, Ranchi.

“Tej Pratap is miffed with his cousins and feels they have sidelined him in the party. He wants them to be removed from family matters,” said a senior RJD leader, wishing not to be quoted.

Nonetheless, the former health minister appears to have no complains against his younger brother Tejashwi equating the opposition leader as “Arjun” and asserting that he would guide his younger sibling like Krishna.

First Published: Nov 10, 2018 00:08 IST