'Is he a rapist?' Anushka Yadav's brother breaks silence days after Tej Pratap Yadav's expulsion, cautions RJD patriarch Lalu

Days after former Bihar CM Lalu Prasad Yadav expelled his elder son Tej Pratap Yadav from his family and the party following his now deleted post revealing his partner Anushka Yadav, the woman's brother Akash Yadav has issued a cautionary note to Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) patriarch. Akash Yadav, a former youth leader of the RJD, questioned the expulsion of Tej Pratap and said that Lalu Yadav should not be influenced by “outsiders.” He also claimed that his sister's character assassination is being done by a few, but maintained that media should respect privacy and it is for “the man and the woman to speak about the matter.”

"...Looking at whatever has happened, all I would like to say is that this is privacy. It is a matter of a man and a woman. It would be better if the two of them spoke about this. My sister's character assassination was being done by a few people, so I have to respond to them...I would like to tell Lalu Prasad Yadav not to ruin his family by being influenced by some outsiders. The outsiders have entered your house and are working to finish your family. The result is before you. The man who was working hard to make his brother the CM has now been ousted from the party...," Akash Yadav told news agency ANI.

Earlier, while speaking to reporters he had questioned the rationale behind expulsion of Tej Pratap from the party. "Is Tej Pratap Yadav a rapist? Is he a thief? Stole someone's dupatta? Carried out obscene acts? So why this huge (punishment)? Is this Mughal-e Azam? Or is this the old-style village panch where a love marriage brought on retribution from village elders?"

Akash Yadav was not the only one questioning Lalu Prasad Yadav. Tej Pratap's estranged wife, Aishwariya Rai, whom he married in May, 2018, addressed a press conference and asked why was her life ruined if Lalu Yadav's elder son was already married. “The entire family is together in this. They are doing all this drama because of the upcoming polls. I am sure Rabri Devi must have gone to him, wiped off his tears and assured him that she would make everything better…The 12-year secret is out now. Why did he marry me? Why did he ruin my life?”

Tej Pratap's first response after expulsion

Tej Pratap Yadav was expelled from the party and family on Sunday (May 25). Issuing his first response on Tuesday (May 27), he took to X and congratulated his younger brother and his family for the birth of his nephew. Tejashwi Yadav, Lalu Prasad's younger son and his wife Raj Shree welcomed their second child Iraj on May 27.

Controversy and family feud

Tej Pratap Yadav on May 24 shared a picture of Anushka Yadav and himself on his Facebook profile, claiming that he is in a relationship with her. He stated that he wanted to share the news with everyone and finally he has done so. The post opened the pandora's box for the Lalu family in Bihar and Tej Pratap's follow-up post claiming that his account was hacked and AI was used to morph his image with the woman did little to assuage the fire. Lalu Yadav expelled him from the party and family for six years and Tejashwi said that “he dislikes this kind of behaviour.”