Tej Pratap keeps family on tenterhooks, Rabri hopeful for settlement

If sources are to be believed, Tej Pratap Yadav has told his family members that he would return home after November 23 when Kartik month ended.

Several weeks after filing his divorce petition, former minister and RJD chief Lalu Prasad’s son Tej Pratap Yadav continues to keep his visit back home a suspense, even as his mother, Rabri Devi has exuded confidence that her elder son would soon settle his marital problems by returning to Patna.

Tej Pratap Yadav with Aishwarya Rai after their marriage (HT File Phot)

“Everything will be fine. Tej Pratap will be back in Patna soon,” Rabri said, after reaching Patna from New Delhi on Monday. Rabri’s statement gave enough hints about how the RJD’s first family was trying hard to mollify Tej Pratap, who, on November 2, had filed a divorce petition seeking separation from his wife of six months, Aishwariya Rai. He has sought divorce citing compatibility issues with his wife.

The 30-year-old has remained away from the state capital for last three weeks preferring not to speak even to his family members regularly and hinting that he would not backtrack on his decision to seek divorce from his wife. But, of late, Tej Pratap’s parents and younger brother Tejashwi Prasad Yadav are said to have stepped up efforts to convince the Yadav scion return home and patch up with his wife.

Insiders in the RJD said Tej Pratap, a former health minister and Mahua MLA, is at present staying in Vrindavan and performing pujas along with his group of friends. If sources are to be believed, he has told his family members that he would return home after November 23 when Kartik month ended.

A few days back, Tej Pratap’s in-laws, including mother-in-law Poornima Rai, had visited Rabri’s 10, Circular Road residence and stayed there for a few hours before reportedly coming out in tears.

“Tej Pratap is performing various religious activities in the month of Kartik. He is likely to return to Patna after Kartik Purnima. He is in regular touch with his mother and other family members,” said a close associate of the former health minister.

Sources said one of Tej Pratap’s brothers in law and Samajwadi Party MP Tej Pratap Singh Yadav (husband of Lalu Prasad’s youngest daughter Laxmi) has been trying to convince him to give up his adamant stand on the divorce issue.

There are also speculations that Tej Pratap has started softening his stand due to mounting family pressure and may not pursue the petition when it comes up for hearing on November 29. But, he has reportedly not given up on his demand for ouster of three of his cousins - Nagmani, Om Prakash and Manish - from family affairs.

All three brothers are said to be close to Rabri Devi and Tejashwi. Tej Pratap has for long been objecting to the cousins interfering in family and party affairs, say sources.

“Tej Pratap has differences with his cousins and wants them to stay away from his family. This is one of the main reasons why he is still annoyed with his parents and not coming to Patna. However, we are hoping that he will soon return,” said a senior RJD functionary and close associate of the RJD chief, wishing not to be quoted.