Paromita Das
New Delhi, 23rd September: When power becomes concentrated in the hands of a few, even the mightiest political dynasties can stumble. The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), a party born of the Mandal movement and nurtured by the sprawling Lalu Prasad Yadav clan, now finds itself teetering on the edge—not because of its old rivals, but because of fractures from within. On the eve of crucial Bihar elections, an unassuming aide named Sanjay Yadav is at the heart of a storm threatening to unravel the party’s legacy, loyalty, and future.
A Front Seat that Sparked a Firestorm
The immediate catalyst for the latest controversy was deceptively small: social media erupted over Sanjay Yadav—MP and Tejashwi Yadav’s closest adviser—taking the front seat in the “Bihar Adhikar Yatra” campaign bus. Normally reserved for the leader himself, this act was instantly noticed, and not just by party workers. Lalu Prasad’s daughter, Rohini Acharya, known for her candor, reshared posts criticizing the move, declaring she sought no post but would never compromise her self-respect. Rohini’s public admonition sent shockwaves through the political landscape, putting a spotlight on how deep the rift has grown within Bharat’s most famous political family.
What’s significant is Rohini’s not alone. Tej Pratap Yadav, long a vocal critic, has frequently accused Sanjay Yadav of being a traitor. With Rohini now openly voicing her discontent, even the invulnerable circle of “parivaar” unity—once the RJD’s bedrock—appears to be crumbling.
Echoes of Odisha: The Peril of One-Man Rule
For seasoned political observers, this RJD drama feels hauntingly reminiscent of what transpired in neighboring Odisha. There, IAS officer V.K. Pandian, once a mere aide, became the power behind Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s throne. His unchecked influence alienated senior leaders and disconnect from grassroots, reducing the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) to a personal fiefdom. Voters, sensing the party was being run by an unelected power broker, delivered a decisive blow and ended the BJD’s reign.
Bihar watchers see Sanjay Yadav’s meteoric rise as eerily similar. Insiders whisper that nothing significant happens in the RJD without his approval—from ticket distribution to campaign strategy. Party elders find themselves sidelined, and now, even Lalu’s children are challenging the new “shadow boss.” The symbolism is stark: a party created to empower the marginalized reduced to two men—Tejashwi and Sanjay—while others watch from the wings.
Family, Betrayal, and Grassroots Disconnect
RJD has always leaned on the strength of the Yadav family—Rabri Devi, Tejashwi, Tej Pratap, and now even Rohini have played visible roles at different times. But today, the inner circle is shrinking. With Tej Pratap expelled earlier this year and Rohini openly voicing her anguish, the RJD’s storied unity has been pierced. Many see this as Sanjay Yadav’s growing clout turning close kin into critics, creating a rift where there should be resilience.
Worse still, party veterans and grassroots workers feel neglected. When a single unelected aide controls the levers of power, the party’s original socialist ethos risks being replaced by a culture built on proximity and loyalty—not to ideology or base, but to one influential adviser.
Ignoring History Is Risky Business
The RJD’s current trajectory should serve as a cautionary tale for every mass-based party. The BJD’s collapse holds lessons worth heeding: When internal democracy is eroded, when disagreement becomes exile, and when loyalty is measured by allegiance to an adviser rather than the people, decline is inevitable. Political history is replete with examples of how parties, once built on robust grassroots connections, falter spectacularly when they become over-centralized or dominated by unaccountable figures behind the scenes.
The escalating Rohini Acharya vs. Sanjay Yadav conflict isn’t just about egos or campaign bus protocol. It’s a red alert. The RJD, which ought to be focused on ideology and the pulse of Bihar’s masses, is risking becoming a party where decisions happen in closed rooms and are dictated by unelected hands.
A Turning Point for RJD—But Which Way?
The Rashtriya Janata Dal stands at a crossroads. Will it heed the warning signs and re-center power with its grassroots and committed cadre, or will it double down on a system that privileges the counsel of one unelected advisor? Unless course correction comes fast, the RJD faces the same risks that undid the BJD in Odisha: alienated leadership, demoralized workers, empowered opposition, and eventual electoral defeat.
If loyalty to a single adviser is allowed to eclipse the party’s foundational values and family legacy, it could soon become a case study in how not to run a political dynasty. For the RJD, the time to choose between allegiance to individuals and commitment to the people is now—and history will not be kind to indecision.
