Analysis: Tejashwi an emerging leader as compared to fledgling Tej Pratap

Both the leaders entered in politics at same time but the younger marched ahead whereas the elder one chose to throw tantrums and get involved in unnecessary controversies bringing embarrassment to the party, write ETV Bharat's Amit Bhelari

Patna:Tejashwi Yadav may have failed to learn the textbook but he has got the knack to learn the mind of the voters like his father Lalu Prasad Yadav. Within a very short span, Tejashwi has established himself in Bihar politics as an emerging leader unlike his elder Tej Pratap brother who is still a fledgling in politics.

Both the leaders entered in politics at same time but the younger marched ahead whereas the elder one chose to throw tantrums and get involved in unnecessary controversies bringing embarrassment to the party. Tej Pratap has become the talk of the town after RJD worker Ram Raj Yadav accused him of beating him on April 22 when Iftar was hosted at Lalu's 10, Circular Road residence.

Following the allegation, Tej Pratap, like a miffed child, announced to resign from RJD after meeting his father. However, nothing has happened so far and it seems unlikely that anything will in future. Earlier also, he bluffed in a similar manner but did nothing. It is a fact that both brothers were born with a silver spoon but one utilised the privilege in an effective manner while another took for granted the fact that he was the scion of the most powerful political family of Bihar.

Tejashwi who started his career as an avid cricketer became the youngest deputy chief minister in 2015 when RJD had formed the government in Bihar along with JDU and Congress. Both Tejashwi and Tej Pratap contested assembly election in 2015 and they won their Raghopur and Mahua assembly constituency seats respectively in Vaishali district. However, the way both campaigned and asked for votes made it amply clear that while the younger one had earned respect, the elder one wanted people to give him respect.

Lalu Yadav must have realised the fact long back which is why he declared Tejashwi as his successor instead of Tej Pratap. Tejashwi, a tech and social media savvy leader has come a long way. Tejashwi believes in social networking, unlike his father who once said 'yeh IT-YT kya hota hai’ (What is this IT?) In fact, it was Tejashwi who asked his father to get familiar with social media sites like Twitter and Facebook. Today, Lalu does his communication with people of Bihar through his Twitter handle.

When Tejashwi had entered into politics after his sporting career did not take off many had questioned the move. However, today he is a successful politician who calls the shots. Many had doubted Tejashwi's ability to lead the party, some even said that he had no leadership qualities and had to go through several ups and down apart from losing the deputy CM chair after which his name cropped up in money laundering case related to illegal land transfer when Lalu was railway minister in UPA 1.

Despite that, Tejashwi did not lose hope and kept on fighting as leader of opposition in the assembly and bounced back in the 2020 assembly poll by winning 75 seats that too in the absence of his father. On the other hand, Tej Pratap's name kept on cropping up in several controversies. The list of controversies are endless - be it humiliating the RJD state president or senior leaders of the party apart from fielding candidates on Jehanabad Lok Sabha seat against RJD. On a number of occasions, Tej Pratap has brought disgrace to the party but all these acts did not last long nor made any impact on the RJD.

With an aim to repeat the feat of his father, Tejashwi's political future is long and even chief minister Nitish Kumar had once called him the future of Bihar. Tejashwi is considered a more mature leader in comparison to his elder brother. Tejashwi's advent in politics has changed many things in the party. RJD which was once considered a undisciplined party. But today, the party workers are bound to be disciplined and the credit goes to Tejashwi who has ensured changes in the party from top to bottom.