I will resign, says Lalu’s son Tej Pratap Yadav. Then a photo with Rabri Devi

Tej Pratap Yadav’s offer to resign from the RJD came after he was accused of thrashing a RJD youth leader who also claimed that the 34-year-old used abusive language for younger brother Tejashwi Yadav and their father Lalu Prasad

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad’s elder son Tej Pratap Yadav on Monday said he intended to resign from the party, an announcement that is seen as a fallout of allegations by a RJD’s youth wing leader Ramraj Yadav, who accused Tej Pratap of thrashing him and using abusive language for Lalu Prasad during the party’s inftaar party on April 22.

Tej Pratap Yadav, 34, said he had always accorded respect to RJD party workers (Facebook/TejPratapYadavOfficial)

“I have followed in the footsteps of my father and tried to accord respect to all party workers. I will soon meet my father and submit my resignation,” Tej Pratap Yadav, 34, said in a short post in Hindi on Twitter. The RJD lawmaker from Hasanpur did not elaborate on Twitter but tagged Tejashwi Yadav, apart from his mother Rabri Devi and Lalu Prasad.

But Tej Pratap later uploaded a photo with his mother and former chief minister, Rabri Devi, on Facebook where she is affectionately holding his forehead. The photograph was seen to imply that he had her mother’s support.

Past Monday midnight, Tej Pratap Yadav let it be known on social media that the accusation that he spoke ill of his father Lalu Prasad and brother Tejashwi Yadav, who is seen as Lalu Prasad’s political heir, was a conspiracy to split the family. Why else would the RJD youth wing leader take so long to make a complaint, asked a man featured in a video uploaded on his Facebook page.

RJD leaders aware of the development said the offer to resign comes after RJD Yuva Mahanagar president Ramraj Yadav briefed RJD Bihar president Jagdanand Singh about the incident and gave his resignation

Ramraj Yadav told reporters that he was assigned duty at pandal number 3 by the state president. “Tej Pratap came and took me to a room on the pretext of discussing something. There I was beaten in presence of two persons who I recognize by face. He used abusive language, used vulgar words not against me but also against Lalu Prasad ji and Tejashwi. I was beaten for being with Tejashwi Yadav and he even threatened to get me eliminated. I have the proof and have given my resignation to the state president,” he said.

“I somehow managed to come out, briefed Jagdanand ji on phone and left the venue,” he added.

Tej Pratap Yadav earlier posted his photo along with Ramraj Yadav and denied that anything has happened. “He is being provoked by somebody,” said Tej Pratap Yadav.

Ramraj told mediapersons that he has narrated the entire incident to the president. “The photo was taken after he insulted me,” he added.

To be sure, Tej Pratap Yadav and Bihar RJD president Jagdanand have not been known to be on the best of terms. Tej Pratap has repeatedly attacked him in the past and demanded his removal.

RJD’s spokesperson Mritunjay Tiwary declined to comment on the row. “I am not aware of the development,” he said.

But this is not the first time that Tej Pratap Yadav has been involved in an unseemly row. Earlier this month, Tej Pratap accused his party’s newly-elected MLC Saurabh Kumar of debauchery and corruption. “He won the MLC election on the basis of money and demanded that there should be a CBI inquiry into his assets,” he said.