Fire and Flower: The Spectacular Rise of Tejashwi Yadav

Nitish Kumar's tantrums and flip-flops have helped Tejashwi acquire better political acumen.

Tejashwi Yadav addressing a rally. 

(Photo: @yadavtejashwi)

Soon after Lalu Prasad Yadav’s Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) lost power, former Deputy Chief Minister (CM) Tejashwi Yadav hit the streets.

In less than a month, the RJD organised a Jan Vishwas Yatra and Tejashwi travelled across 32 out of the 40 districts of Bihar. He talked about the basics, i.e., unemployment, poverty, inflation, rise in communalism, misuse of agencies and of course, Nitish Kumar’s opportunism. He reminded people of his work, especially the record number of employees in 17 months of his tenure in the Mahagathbandhan government with the Janata Dal (United) (JD[U]).

Tejashwi has captured the pulse of Bihar. He knows that the contest is between the RJD and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Nitish Kumar might still be relevant in Bihar, but his politics has dismantled the JD(U). His flip-flops and their justifications have turned him into a laughing stock. The electorate is frustrated to the extent that, sarcastically speaking, they want the RJD and the BJP to form a government only to throw out Nitish Kumar.

In hindsight, it would not be wrong to say that Nitish’s political tantrums have helped Tejashwi acquire better political acumen. He has rubbished the tags of dynasty politics or a ninth-pass leader with his grounded and genuine efforts to engage with the masses.

Tejashwi, the Flower 

Tejashwi, in his address to the Bihar Legislative Assembly, after the JD(U) and the BJP formed the government (for the third time since 2015), very empathetically and respectfully mentioned Nitish Kumar, “Hum aapko kuch kahen hain! Kitna accha humlog baat-cheet karte the, lekin chaliye theek hai, acche pal ko toh hum zindagi bhar yaad rakhenge, sanjokar rakhenge (Have I said anything to you! We used to have cordial conversations, but it’s okay now, I will always recall and cherish the good memories that we shared).”

This moving clip of his address, also viral on social media, is a reflection of his political temperament. He did not show anger or frustration towards the CM; rather, he made it sound platonic. 

In 2022, when Tejashwi took oath as the deputy CM, he issued a six-point letter to his cabinet ministers urging them to not to buy any new vehicle for themselves; not allow (for courtesy purposes) workers, well-wishers, supporters or any other person older to them to touch their feet and instead promote the tradition of salutations such as namaste and aadaab; promote honesty, transparency and promptness in implementation of policies; encourage the exchange of pens or books instead of bouquets; promote all developmental work by the CM; help the poor and the needy on a priority basis irrespective of caste and religion. 

“Nitish Kumar kitna bhi dhokha den, Tejashwi Ji hamesha unka samman karte aaye hain. Paanv chukar aashirwad liye hai unse (No matter how much Nitish Kumar cheats, Tejashwi will always respect him. He has touched his feet and sought blessings),” says Aruna Mahto, an RJD supporter, while cheering on Tejashwi’s yatra in Gaya. 

Interestingly, when Lalu Prasad Yadav became Bihar CM for the first time, Tejashwi was barely six months old. With a privileged childhood and adolescence, he lived outside Bihar and stayed away from politics. The year 2013 saw a turning point.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court in Ranchi sentenced Lalu Prasad Yadav for five years. He lost his right to contest elections. Tejashwi was injured and out of the Indian Premier League (IPL). A crisis had hit the family and the party. Tejashwi returned to Patna.

It was also the year when Nitish Kumar broke away from the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) on the pretext of the BJP declaring Narendra Modi as the prime ministerial candidate. The massive victory of the BJP-led NDA in 2014 brought Nitish and Lalu closer. ‘Brothers Bihari’ united to fight the ‘communal forces’, they claimed. They contested the 2015 assembly elections together and stunned the BJP. Tejashwi not only won the elections but also was sworn in as the Deputy CM. 

From playing cricket with his friends on the sprawling 1 Anne Marg campus to playing Ranji Trophy and the IPL, from contesting his first election from Raghopur to becoming the Deputy CM, his has been quite the journey, albeit with the support of Lalu's social capital.

Tejashwi recognises this. That is also the reason why he has worked hard to build a persona of his own. Though Lalu has been a guiding force for a lot of leaders across the party, he admits that Tejashwi has shaped much of his politics on his own. While Tejashwi is calm, composed, and soft-spoken, Lalu is aggressive and hard-hitting when it comes to criticising the BJP.  

Tejashwi, the Fire

Recently, during public rallies at Aurangabad and Begusarai, PM Modi attacked Tejashwi Yadav saying that he is shy of talking about his father, referring to the charges of corruption levelled against Lalu. Tejashwi responded in Patna, saying, “Dear Modi ji, please open your eyes and ears and listen to me: My father uplifted millions of poor and disadvantaged people from slavery and gave them a voice. He earned Railways a profit of Rs 90,000 crores during his tenure as Railway Minister. He regularised the services of coolies and introduced earthen cups to provide dignified income to potters. What have the Railways done in the last 10 years?” 

He too made scathing remarks against the BJP, “Some call BJP a washing machine. But your party is not a washing machine, it’s a dustbin that holds garbage from other parties.”

“My father has fought the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), braving all their tortures. Rahul Ji and Akhilesh Ji have got notices from the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate. I, along with my family members, are facing the agencies. But mark my words Modi ji, I will fight, I won’t bow down,” resolved Tejashwi from the stage. The crowd cheered and ceremoniously chanted, “Lalu-Rabri Zindabaad, Tej-Tejashwi Zindabaad.” 

Tejashwi has refined the RJD, stating, R stands for Rights, J for Jobs and D for Development. Quite importantly, the gathering at Patna’s Gandhi Maidan constituted newly appointed teachers, Anganwadi workers, porters, farmers, students, and women. Many of them were thankful to Tejashwi for spearheading the employment process; from opening up vacancies to offering job letters in record time. 

In the last few years, Tejashwi has successfully ensured the RJD’s image makeover to make its audience go beyond the traditional M-Y (Muslim-Yadav) factor. Based on the many people I spoke to, the tech-savvy, witty, and charming Tejashwi has grabbed the attention of even the upper castes and the urban middle classes who are usually not considered to be RJD voters.

“Lalu’s RJD has changed. They have controlled their party workers. They don’t seem to be a party of goons and criminals anymore. Also, his son (Tejashwi) makes a lot of sense and has revamped the party. The kith and kin of other politicians should learn from him,” said an IPS officer from Bihar, who has had a chance to briefly work with Tejashwi.

“See, Lalu would have only got him a ticket but he has earned the love and respect from his work in the state. He understands business.”

Tejashwi's RJD chooses leaders with a blend of experience, energy, and a fresh perspective. While it has pooled young talents from Jawaharlal Nehru University like Jayant Jigyasu, Kanchana Yadav, and Priyanka Bharti, it has Professor Nawal Kishore from the University of Delhi and even Professor Anwar Pasha, who has immensely written on Pasmanda Muslims. It provides tickets for the Rajya Sabha to leaders like Sanjay Yadav and Professor Manoj Jha.

RJD parliamentarians apart from Lalu Prasad hardly participated in matters irrelevant to the state. RJD MP Manoj Jha has intervened on a plethora of topics ranging from the abrogation of article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir to India’s foreign policy on the Israel-Palestine conflict. 

Nevertheless, speaking from a personal and shared experience, the participatory political campaign within the Jan Vishwas Yatra has not only boosted the RJD but also the INDIA (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance) bloc. Credit where it is due to the Tejashwi and the RJD cadre.

(Rohin Kumar is an author and independent journalist writing about humanitarian crises. This is an opinion piece. The views expressed above are the authors' own. The Quint neither endorses nor is responsible for them.)