Tej Pratap Yadav
{{short description|Indian politician (born 1988)}}
{{Distinguish|Tej Pratap Singh Yadav}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2019}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| image = Tej Pratap Yadav.jpg
| name = Tej Pratap Yadav
| caption = Yadav in 2023
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1988|04|16|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Gopalganj, Bihar, India
| residence = Patna, Bihar, India
| death_date =
| death_place =
| office = Cabinet Minister, Government of Bihar
| term_start = 16 August 2022
| term_end = 28 January 2024
| governor = *Rajendra Arlekar
| 1blankname = Chief Minister
| 1namedata = Nitish Kumar
| 2blankname = Ministry and Departments
| 2namedata = *Environment
- Forest & Climate Change
| predecessor = Neeraj Kumar Singh
| successor =
| term_start1 = 20 November 2015
| term_end1 = 26 July 2017
| predecessor1 = Ashwini Kumar Choubey
| successor1 = Mangal Pandey
| governor1 = {{ubl|Ram Nath Kovind|Keshari Nath Tripathi}}
| 1blankname1 = Chief Minister
| 1namedata1 = Nitish Kumar
| 2blankname1 = Ministry and Departments
| 2namedata1 = *Health
- Forest and Environment
- Backward & Extremely Backward Class Welfare
| office2 = Member of Bihar Legislative Assembly
| constituency2 = Hasanpur
| term_start2 = 8 November 2020
| term_end2 =
| predecessor2 = Raj Kumar Ray
| successor2 =
| term_start3 = 2015
| term_end3 = 2020
| predecessor3 = Ravindra Ray Yadav
| successor3 = Mukesh Raushan
| constituency3 = Mahua
| party = Rashtriya Janata Dal (till 2025){{cite web|last=Bose|first=Saikat Kumar|title=Lalu Yadav Expels Son Tej Pratap From Party For "Ignoring Moral Values"|website=www.ndtv.com|date=2025-05-25|url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/lalu-yadav-expels-son-tej-pratap-from-party-for-ignoring-moral-values-8503268|access-date=2025-05-25}}
| occupation = Politician
| relations = {{ubl|Tejashwi Yadav (brother) | Misa Bharti (sister) | Tej Pratap Singh Yadav (brother-in-law) | Chiranjeev Rao (brother-in-law) | Sadhu Yadav (uncle) | Subhash Prasad Yadav (uncle) | Chandrika Roy (father-in-law)}}
| children =
| father = Lalu Prasad Yadav
| mother = Rabri Devi
| spouse = {{marriage|Aishwarya Rai|2018}}{{cite web|last=Online|first=FE|title=Who is Aishwarya Rai? Meet MBA graduate set to marry Tej Pratap Yadav, become Lalu-Rabri’s ‘sanskari bahu’|website=Financialexpress|date=2018-04-06|url=https://www.financialexpress.com/india-news/meet-aishwarya-rai-mba-graduate-set-to-marry-12th-pass-tej-pratap-yadav-become-lalu-rabris-sanskari-bahu/1123366/|access-date=2025-05-25}}{{cite web|last=Kumar|first=Manish|last2=Jacob|first2=Jimmy|last3=Agencies)|first3=(with inputs from|title=6 Months After Wedding, Tej Pratap Yadav Files For Divorce In Patna Court|website=www.ndtv.com|date=2018-11-02|url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/5-months-after-wedding-tej-pratap-yadav-files-for-divorce-from-wife-aishwarya-rai-in-patna-court-1942047|access-date=2025-05-25}}
| footnotes =
| date =
| year =
| source =
| website =
| partner = {{partner|Anushka Yadav|2013}} (alleged){{efn|In May 2025, Tej Pratap Yadav shared on social media that he had been in a relationship with Anushka Yadav for 12 years, but later said his account was hacked. He had earlier married Aishwarya Rai in 2018, and their divorce is still pending.
}}
}}
Tej Pratap Yadav (born 16 April 1988) is an Indian politician. He was cabinet minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in the Government of Bihar.{{cite web|title=Member Profile|url=http://vidhansabha.bih.nic.in/pdf/member_profile/126.pdf|access-date=15 June 2019|website=Bihar Vidhan Sabha |publisher=Government of Bihar|language=Hindi |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190815072301/http://vidhansabha.bih.nic.in/pdf/member_profile/126.pdf |archive-date=15 August 2019}}
{{cite web|url=https://bla.neva.gov.in/Member/Details/67 |title=Bihar Vidhan Sabha Member details, NeVA |publisher=Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs & National Informatics Centre: Government of India |language=Hindi }} He is the elder son of former Chief Ministers of Bihar, Lalu Prasad Yadav and Rabri Devi.{{cite web | url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/bihar-polls-tej-pratap-yadavs-margin-higher-than-tejaswis-other-political-families-suffer-losses/ | title=Bihar poll results: Tej Pratap Yadav's margin higher than Tejaswi's, other political families suffer losses | publisher=The Indian Express | date=9 November 2015 | access-date=10 November 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151110150206/http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/bihar-polls-tej-pratap-yadavs-margin-higher-than-tejaswis-other-political-families-suffer-losses/ | archive-date=10 November 2015 | url-status=live }}{{cite web | url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/bihar-results-list-of-prominent-winners-losers/1/519620.html | title=Bihar results: List of prominent winners, losers | publisher=India Today | date=8 November 2015 | access-date=10 November 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151109081340/http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/bihar-results-list-of-prominent-winners-losers/1/519620.html | archive-date=9 November 2015 | url-status=live }}{{cite web | url=http://thewire.in/2015/11/21/nitish-keeps-home-lalus-son-tejaswi-yadav-named-deputy-cm-15996/ | title=Nitish Takes Oath, Lalu's son Tejaswi Yadav Named Deputy CM | publisher=The Wire | date=21 November 2015 | access-date=21 November 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151121161538/http://thewire.in/2015/11/21/nitish-keeps-home-lalus-son-tejaswi-yadav-named-deputy-cm-15996/ | archive-date=21 November 2015 | url-status=live }}{{cite web | url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1151121/jsp/frontpage/story_54325.jsp#.Vk_zk-JtaUk | title=Only sons rise? But Misa missed her catch | publisher=The Telegraph | date=21 November 2015 | access-date=21 November 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151121163611/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1151121/jsp/frontpage/story_54325.jsp#.Vk_zk-JtaUk | archive-date=21 November 2015 | url-status=dead }}
Early life and education
Tej Pratap Yadav was born on 16 April 1988 in Gopalganj, Bihar. He is the elder son among the seven daughters and two sons of two former Chief Ministers of Bihar, Lalu Prasad Yadav and his wife Rabri Devi. His 7 sisters are Misa Bharti, Rohini, Chanda, Ragini, Hema, Anushka and Raj Lakshmi Yadav. Tejashwi Yadav is his younger brother.{{Cite news|last=|first=|date=1 November 2019 |title=Tej Pratap Yadav: A man of many guises |url=https://www.outlookindia.com/newsscroll/tej-pratap-yadav-a-man-of-many-guises/1652834|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109103419/https://www.outlookindia.com/newsscroll/tej-pratap-yadav-a-man-of-many-guises/1652834 |archive-date=9 November 2020|work=Outlook (Indian magazine)}}
He passed Intermediate from BSEB in 2010 as per the affidavit proposed by him in 2020 Bihar Legislative Assembly Election.{{Cite web |title=Tej Pratap Yadav(RJD):Constituency- HASANPUR(SAMASTIPUR) - Affidavit Information of Candidate: |url=https://myneta.info/Bihar2020/candidate.php?candidate_id=12313 |access-date=2023-10-30 |website=myneta.info}}{{Cite news |date=2018-10-12 |title=FAKE ALERT: No, Tej Pratap Yadav was not awarded doctorate from 'Takshsila University' |work=The Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/times-fact-check/news/fake-alert-no-tej-pratap-yadav-was-not-awarded-doctorate-from-takshsila-university/articleshow/66178910.cms |access-date=2023-10-30 |issn=0971-8257}}{{Cite web |title=तेजस्वी 10वीं, तेज प्रताप 12वीं, लेकिन लालू यादव की 7 बेटियां कहां तक हैं पढ़ी, जानें यहां |url=https://navbharattimes.indiatimes.com/elections/assembly-elections/bihar/news/tejashwi-yadav-9th-tej-pratap-12th-but-where-far-are-7-daughters-of-lalu-yadav-studying/articleshow/79143783.cms |access-date=2023-10-30 |website=Navbharat Times |language=hi}}
Personal life
He married Aishwarya Rai, the daughter of Chandrika Rai and granddaughter of Bihar's former Chief Minister, Daroga Prasad Rai.{{Cite news |url=https://www.news18.com/news/india/chaos-at-tej-prataps-aishwarya-rai-lalu-prasad-yadav-wedding-unruly-rjd-crowd-loots-food-items-and-crockery-1746391.html |title=Food Riot at Tej Pratap's Wedding; Rowdy Guests Break VIP Cordon, Loot Crockery and Embellishments |work=News18.com |date=13 May 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180513071635/https://www.news18.com/news/india/chaos-at-tej-prataps-aishwarya-rai-lalu-prasad-yadav-wedding-unruly-rjd-crowd-loots-food-items-and-crockery-1746391.html|archive-date=2018-05-13|url-status=live}}{{cite news |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/patna/tej-wont-campaign-against-me-he-played-prank-on-media/articleshow/69150697.cms |title='Tej won't campaign against me, he played prank on media' |first1=Piyush |last1=Tripathi |date=3 May 2019 |newspaper=The Times of India }} He has been accused by his wife of beating her, using drugs, and cross-dressing.{{Cite news|last=Tewary|first=Amarnath |date=7 August 2019 |title=Tej Pratap Yadav is a drug addict, dresses up like Radha and Krishna, alleges wife Aishwarya Rai |language=en-IN |work=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tej-pratap-yadav-is-a-drug-addict-dresses-up-like-radha-and-krishna-alleges-wife-aishwarya-rai/article28844598.ece |access-date=2020-08-22|issn=0971-751X}} One of his grievances against his wife, according to the Times of India report, is that "she has not been able to adjust to his way of life."{{Cite news|date=6 Nov 2018 |agency=Press Trust of India |title=Tej Pratap Yadav hasn't come back to Patna after meeting Lalu Prasad in Ranchi: Family sources |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/best-of-the-week/india/tej-pratap-hasnt-come-back-to-patna-after-meeting-lalu-prasad-in-ranchi-family-sources/articleshow/66528827.cms |access-date=2020-11-23 |newspaper=The Times of India |language=en}}
On May 24, 2025, he publicly revealed his 12-year relationship with Anushka Yadav via Facebook. Yadav claimed that his account had been compromised, and the post was later removed. However, despite his 2018 marriage to Aishwarya Rai, which is still pending in the family court, it is thought that he has been with Anushka for the past 12 years and that the two are already married, based on a number of widely circulated photos and other sources.
In a post on X the next day, his father, Lalu Yadav, declared that he was expelled from his family and the party.{{Cite news |date=2025-05-25 |title=RJD chief Lalu removes elder son Tej Pratap Yadav from party and 'family' after 'love confession' post |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/rjd-chief-lalu-removes-elder-son-tej-pratap-yadav-from-party-and-family-after-love-confession-post/articleshow/121392236.cms |access-date=2025-05-25 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}
Political career
He became a Cabinet Minister of Health in Nitish Kumar's government from November 2015 until July 2017.{{Cite web|title=Tej Pratap Yadav: Latest News, Videos and Photos of Tej Pratap Yadav|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/tej-pratap-yadav|website=The Times of India|access-date=2020-05-17}} In December 2015, as the Environment Minister of Bihar, he promoted horse-riding as an initiative to curb pollution in the state.{{Cite web|title=Tej Pratap gets on his high horse!|url=https://www.dailypioneer.com/2015/page1/tej-pratap-gets-on-his-high-horse.html|last=Pioneer|first=The|website=The Pioneer|language=en|access-date=2020-05-17}}
The marital discord between Yadav and Aishwarya Roy, daughter of Chandrika Roy, resulted into political "subplot in fight for Parsa seat" of Bihar Assembly, in 2020.{{Cite web|date=2020-11-01|title=Bihar Polls: Tej Pratap Yadav's troubled marriage a running subplot in fight for Parsa seat|url=https://www.deccanherald.com/election-2020/bihar-polls-tej-pratap-yadavs-troubled-marriage-a-running-subplot-in-fight-for-parsa-seat-909845.html|access-date=2020-11-23|website=Deccan Herald|language=en}} Aishwarya also urged the public to vote for CM Nitish Kumar, who is a key political rival of her husband's family.{{Cite web|date=2020-10-22|title=Bihar Assembly Election 2020: Lalu's estranged daughter-in-law seeks votes for rival Nitish Kumar|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/bihar-election/bihar-assembly-election-2020-lalu-s-estranged-daughter-in-law-seeks-votes-for-rival-nitish-kumar/story-TPSs6s8I7bYWukNIHA8S4K.html|access-date=2020-11-23|website=Hindustan Times|language=en}}
Tej Pratap Yadav was officially removed from the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) for six years over irresponsible behaviour and failing to conform to probity and family values by RJD president Lalu Prasad Yadav on 25 May 2025.{{Cite web |last=Anand |first=Raj |date=2025-05-27 |title=Tej Pratap Yadav and Anushka Yadav Controversy in-depth Report - RJPL Insight |url=https://news.rjplindia.com/tej-pratap-yadav-and-anushka-yadav-controversy-in-depth-report/ |access-date=2025-05-28 |website=RJPL Insight |language=en-US}}{{cite news |last1= |first1= |title=Lalu Prasad expels elder son Tej Pratap Yadav from party and family for ‘irresponsible behaviour’ |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/bihar/lalu-prasad-expels-elder-son-tej-pratap-yadav-from-party-and-family-for-irresponsible-behaviour/article69617199.ece |access-date=25 May 2025 |publisher=The Hindu |date=25 May 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250525185107/https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/bihar/lalu-prasad-expels-elder-son-tej-pratap-yadav-from-party-and-family-for-irresponsible-behaviour/article69617199.ece |archive-date=25 May 2025 |language=en-IN}}{{cite news |title=Lalu expels son Tej Pratap from party, family: ‘His conduct not in accordance with our family values, traditions’ |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/lalu-prasad-expels-son-tej-pratap-yadav-from-party-for-6-years-for-ignoring-moral-values-10027916/ |access-date=25 May 2025 |publisher=The Indian Express |date=25 May 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250525185148/https://indianexpress.com/article/india/lalu-prasad-expels-son-tej-pratap-yadav-from-party-for-6-years-for-ignoring-moral-values-10027916/ |archive-date=25 May 2025 |language=en}}
Controversies
On May 24, 2025, Tej Pratap Yadav posted a photo on Facebook with a woman named Anushka Yadav, claiming they had been in a romantic relationship for 12 years.{{cite web|last=Rao|first=Lingamgunta Nirmitha|title=Who is Tej Pratap Yadav? Lalu’s ousted son and ‘Aishwarya Rai’s’ ex-husband in row over ‘partner of 12 years’|website=Hindustan Times|date=2025-05-25|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/who-is-tej-pratap-yadav-lalu-yadav-ousted-son-ex-husband-aishwarya-rai-girlfriend-anushka-yadav-relationship-101748169964095.html|access-date=2025-05-25}} The post quickly went viral, sparking public backlash and internal party tensions. The following day, Lalu Prasad Yadav announced his son's expulsion from the RJD for six years and severed familial ties, citing that Tej Pratap's public behavior contradicted the moral values upheld by the party and the family. Tej Pratap later claimed that his Facebook account had been hacked and that the post was part of a conspiracy to defame him.{{cite web|title=Tej Pratap Yadav's 'partner of 12 years' post, then account hacked clarification|website=India Today|date=2025-05-25|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/tej-pratap-yadav-anushka-yadav-long-time-girlfriend-facebook-post-rjd-2730000-2025-05-24|access-date=2025-05-25}}
=Holi Incident Involving Police Officer=
On March 14, 2025, during Holi celebrations at his official residence in Patna, Tej Pratap Yadav was recorded instructing his bodyguard, Constable Deepak Kumar, to dance to a song, threatening suspension if he refused. In the video, Yadav is heard saying; "Ae sipahi, Deepak, ek gana bajayenge uspe tumko thumka lagana hai. Bura mat mano Holi hai. Aaj nahi thumka lagaoge toh suspend kar diye jaoge." ({{Translation|Hey Sipahi, Deepak, i’ll play a song and you have to dance to it. Don’t take it badly, it’s Holi. If you don’t dance today, you’ll be suspended.}}){{cite web|last=Singh|first=Santosh|title=Perform ‘thumka’ or face suspension, Tej Pratap tells policeman during Holi celebration|website=The Indian Express|date=2025-03-15|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/perform-thumka-face-suspension-tej-pratap-cop-9887774/|access-date=2025-05-25}}
The incident sparked widespread criticism, with opposition parties accusing Yadav of abusing his position and disrespecting the police force. JDU national spokesperson Rajiv Ranjan commented that such behavior reflects a return to the 'Jungle Raj' era in Bihar.{{cite web|last=Kumar|first=Nitin|title='Thumka lagao': Tej Pratap Yadav forces cop to dance on Holi, threatens suspension, BJP reacts|website=India TV News|date=2025-03-15|url=https://www.indiatvnews.com/bihar/news-tej-pratap-yadav-holi-video-bjp-jungle-raj-bihar-politics-latest-news-rjd-lalu-prasad-yadav-2025-03-15-980730|access-date=2025-05-25}}
=Tej Pratap threatens PM Modi over Lalu’s security downgrade=
In 2017, Tej Pratap Yadav threatened to skin Prime Minister Narendra Modi alive after Lalu Prasad's security was downgraded from Z+ to Z.{{cite news|title=Tej Pratap threatens to 'skin' PM Modi after Lalu's Z+ security is withdrawn|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/lalu-prasad-s-son-threatens-to-skin-pm-modi/story-OUIqpn6FIdMJr0cs7vcTLO.html|access-date=1 December 2017|publisher=Hindustan Times|date=28 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171130115234/http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/lalu-prasad-s-son-threatens-to-skin-pm-modi/story-OUIqpn6FIdMJr0cs7vcTLO.html|archive-date=30 November 2017|url-status=live}} Lalu defended his son over this.{{cite news|title=Lalu defends son Tej Pratap over shocking 'skin Narendra Modi alive' remark; what he said|url=http://www.financialexpress.com/india-news/lalu-defends-son-tej-pratap-over-shocking-skin-narendra-modi-alive-remark-what-he-said/949649/|access-date=1 December 2017|publisher=Financial Express|date=27 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201182803/http://www.financialexpress.com/india-news/lalu-defends-son-tej-pratap-over-shocking-skin-narendra-modi-alive-remark-what-he-said/949649/|archive-date=1 December 2017|url-status=live}} On the last day of voting in the 2019 general elections, a video of an alleged assault on a video journalist by his bodyguards went viral, while Yadav lodged an FIR calling it a conspiracy to kill him.{{cite news|title=Election 2019: "Conspiracy To Kill Me," Says Tej Pratap Yadav After Journalist Is Beaten|url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/lok-sabha-election-2019-tej-pratap-yadav-says-conspiracy-to-kill-me-after-journalist-is-beaten-2039723|access-date=20 May 2019|publisher=ndtv.com|date=19 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190519101532/https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/lok-sabha-election-2019-tej-pratap-yadav-says-conspiracy-to-kill-me-after-journalist-is-beaten-2039723|archive-date=19 May 2019|url-status=live}}{{cite news|title=Watch: Tej Pratap Yadav defends his bodyguards after attack on cameraman, alleges conspiracy|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/elections/lok-sabha-2019/story/watch-tej-pratap-yadav-defends-his-bodyguards-after-attack-on-cameraman-alleges-conspiracy-1528714-2019-05-19|access-date=20 May 2019|publisher=Indiatoday.in|date=19 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190519105418/https://www.indiatoday.in/elections/lok-sabha-2019/story/watch-tej-pratap-yadav-defends-his-bodyguards-after-attack-on-cameraman-alleges-conspiracy-1528714-2019-05-19|archive-date=19 May 2019|url-status=live}}{{cite news|title='Conspiracy to kill me,' says Tej Pratap after video of his bodyguard assaulting photographer goes viral|url=https://indianexpress.com/elections/conspiracy-to-kill-me-says-tej-pratap-after-video-of-bodyguard-beating-photographer-goes-viral-5735914/|access-date=20 May 2019|publisher=Indianexpress.com|date=19 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190519095723/https://indianexpress.com/elections/conspiracy-to-kill-me-says-tej-pratap-after-video-of-bodyguard-beating-photographer-goes-viral-5735914/|archive-date=19 May 2019|url-status=live}}{{cite news|title='Conspiracy to kill me,' says Tej Pratap Yadav after journalist thrashed by his PSOs|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/conspiracy-to-kill-me-says-tej-pratap-yadav-after-journalist-thrashed-by-his-psos/story-OmoiSYp3fcJXY9HMrWgpGM.html|access-date=20 May 2019|publisher=hindustantimes.com|date=19 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190520123056/https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/conspiracy-to-kill-me-says-tej-pratap-yadav-after-journalist-thrashed-by-his-psos/story-OmoiSYp3fcJXY9HMrWgpGM.html|archive-date=20 May 2019|url-status=live}}
YouTube career
Tej Pratap Yadav also runs a YouTube vlog channel called "L-R vlog" in which he shares his daily life and travel videos. Recently, his channel crossed 1 lakh subscribers. To celebrate 1 lakh subscribers milestone, a hoarding featuring Yadav was cropped up in Bihar's capital Patna. The hoarding was a “Thank You” to the 1 lakh subscribers of his vlog channel, while also urging people to subscribe to his YouTube channel.{{Cite web |title=Tej Pratap’s vlog channel crosses 1 lakh subscribers, posters thanking supporters crop up in Patna |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/tej-pratap-vlog-channel-crosses-1-lakh-subscribers-posters-thanking-supporters-crop-up-patna-2390666-2023-06-09 |access-date=2023-06-14 |website=India Today |language=en}}
Footnotes
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