Brothers face tough battle as Tejashwi and Tej Pratap trail in Bihar count
Patna – Bihar witnessed a dramatic twist on counting day as both Tejashwi Yadav and Tej Pratap Yadav trailed in early trends. Their battle for political relevance turned personal and intense, revealing deep divisions within the Lalu Prasad Yadav family. The two brothers fought from opposite camps after a bitter split that reshaped the state’s political narrative.
Counting began at 8 AM across Bihar, and trends after the second round showed Tejashwi trailing in Raghopur by more than 1,000 votes. This setback in the family stronghold surprised both allies and observers. Meanwhile, Tej Pratap faced an even sharper decline in Mahua, where the gap widened with every round. His new platform, the Janshakti Janata Dal (JJD), struggled to gain ground.
The rivalry grew after RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav expelled Tej Pratap from the party in May. Lalu cited Tej Pratap’s “irresponsible behaviour” and breach of family values. The decision followed a controversial social media post that Tej Pratap claimed was fabricated. He said his account was hacked and the photos edited to tarnish him and his family.
After the expulsion, Tej Pratap formed the JJD and later joined hands with five smaller parties. He attempted to rebuild his political base, but the early numbers indicated limited success. Counting data from Mahua’s third round highlighted the scale of his struggle. LJP (Ram Vilas) candidate Sanjay Kumar Singh secured 10,301 votes. JJD’s Tej Pratap managed only 1,500 votes. RJD candidate Mukesh Roshan earned 6,781 votes. The numbers placed Tej Pratap nearly 9,000 votes behind the LJP nominee, exposing a steep uphill climb.
In contrast, Tejashwi fought to retain his position as the face of the Mahagathbandhan. He led by a narrow margin of 893 votes in earlier rounds. His current struggle differed sharply from the 2020 performance, where Tej Pratap won Hasanpur by more than 20,000 votes as an RJD candidate.
The contrasting fortunes of the brothers painted a gripping political picture. Tejashwi continued to anchor the opposition alliance, while Tej Pratap worked to create a new identity outside the family fold. The electoral battlefield in Mahua suggested that Tej Pratap’s breakaway move had yet to connect with voters.
Both brothers reacted cautiously to the unfolding trends. Tej Pratap dismissed exit polls and said he trusted people over predictions. He insisted he focused on work, not celebrations. “I don’t believe in exit polls. We will see what happens on November 14,” he said. He expressed confidence in winning Mahua, despite widening gaps in the count.
As counting continued, Bihar watched the unfolding saga of two brothers chasing different futures. Their political journeys, once aligned under a powerful family banner, now moved in opposite directions. The numbers revealed a tough road ahead for both, turning this election into a dramatic chapter in the state’s political history.
