Tej Pratap meets Rabri, says ‘mother on my side’ on divorce issue

Tej Pratap called on Rabri Devi in the morning to wish her birthday and later met her at the residence of younger brother and former deputy chief minister Tejashwi Prasad Yadav at 5, Deshratan marg.

The New Year in RJD’s first family began on a happy note on Tuesday when RJD chief Lalu Prasad’s elder son and former minister Tej Pratap Yadav reached out to his family after a long time and met his mother Rabri Devi on her birthday.

File photo of Tej Pratap engagement with Aishwariya Rai (PTI)

Ever since he filed a petition seeking divorce from his wife Aishwariya Rai on November 2 while citing compatibility issues, Tej Pratap has maintained a distance from his family. He had even blamed his parents for not supporting him in his decision to seek separation from his wife. The former minister has been living mostly with his friends for last two months and not visited his parents’ home at 10 Circular road, allotted to Rabri Devi and Lalu Prasad as former chief ministers.

“My decision to seek divorce from my wife is my personal decision.My mother is on my side,” he told reporters on Tuesday.

Tej Pratap called on Rabri Devi in the morning to wish her birthday and later met her at the residence of younger brother and former deputy chief minister Tejashwi Prasad Yadav at 5, Deshratan marg.

Rabri turned 63 on Tuesday.

However, insiders in the RJD said Rabri Devi, during her interaction with Tej Pratap, tried to convince him to withdraw the divorce petition and patch up with his wife. Sources said Tej Pratap gave a patient hearing to her mother’s advice but remained non-committal. “ We are hopeful that Tej Pratap would end his differences with wife soon. Martial problems occur in lives of all couples and get resorted normally,” said a close confidant of RJD chief and Rabri Devi.

In recent days, Tej Pratap has started asserting more in party affairs by holding janta durbars at the state party office. A few days ago, he created a flutter when he landed at Phulwarisharief police station with supporters, alleging that the SHO had misbehaved with him when he tried to enquire about a case related to a dowry death. Later, he wrote to chief minister Nitish Kumar, alleging that the SHO refused to recognise him when he called the officer on phone and had not given proper replies to the dowry death case.