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Journalism of Courage
Tej Pratap Yadav, the elder son of RJD chief Lalu Prasad, is launching a ‘yatra’ on Sunday to connect with farmers and labourers, a move being seen by many as “a step closer to parting ways with the party”.
The publicity material of his programme though carries photographs of all top RJD leaders, including father Lalu Prasad, mother Rabri Devi and brother Tejashwi Yadav, but the event has no backing of the party and is being organised by Janshakti Parishad, a voluntary group formed by Tej Pratap himself.
The RJD, however, refused to react to Tej Pratap’s Janshakti Yatra. A party spokesperson said: “We have been asked not to speak anything about him as it is often misreported and over-interpreted.”
As per the plan, Tej Pratap will visit Karaai village of Bihta block of Patna to honour some farmers and labourers on the International Labour Day.
A source close to him said: “He will replicate the programme across Bihar in the coming days. The idea is to get connected with the farmers and labourers irrespective of their caste and creed. He will share ‘sattu’ with the farmers and also visit some Dalit settlements and gift the inhabitants small statues of BR Ambedkar.”
Tej Pratap has been trying to make his independent political standing with the Janshakti Yatra even as he has started putting up at his parental home in Patna— 10, Circular Road — where he shares space with younger brother Tejashwi.
Tej Pratap also attended iftar parties with Tejashwi in the recent past, but he has reportedly bargaining hard with the family to establish himself independently as a “serious politician”.
On Friday, Tej Pratap sent legal notices to nine journalists for “misreporting”. He told reporters on Friday that he sent notices to only those who “showed him in poor light without checking facts”.
