The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) is once again embroiled in controversy, and this time it is not about caste equations or alliances but about a family feud that could reshape the party’s future. Lalu Prasad Yadav’s daughter, Rohini Acharya, has openly attacked Tejashwi Yadav’s closest aide and RJD MP, Sanjay Yadav. The dispute, which began over a seat on Tejashwi’s campaign bus, has now spiraled into a public war of words. On social media, Rohini has made it clear that she seeks no political post but her self respect is non negotiable.
This outburst is not isolated. Tej Pratap Yadav has long branded Sanjay Yadav a “traitor” within the party, and now Rohini has joined that chorus. What is striking is that Sanjay is no ordinary advisor. He is Tejashwi’s shadow, the man said to control everything from ticket distribution to campaign strategy. For many within the Lalu family and even the wider RJD, this feels eerily similar to what happened in Odisha’s Biju Janata Dal (BJD) under Naveen Patnaik. There, one bureaucrat, V.K. Pandian, rose to such prominence that the party became synonymous with his decisions. Eventually, Pandian’s overreach was one of the key reasons behind BJD’s fall from power.
For decades, Naveen Patnaik ruled Odisha with an iron grip. But over time, the party machinery became overly dependent on one man, his trusted aide, IAS officer V.K. Pandian. Known as the “super CM,” Pandian dictated party affairs, government decisions, and even candidate selection. His influence grew so unchecked that senior leaders felt suffocated, and grassroots workers lost their connect with Naveen.
When elections came, people saw BJD less as Naveen’s party and more as Pandian’s empire. The disconnect between leadership and the masses became stark, and the party that once looked invincible was humbled. The story of BJD is a reminder that when one unelected aide overshadows both the leader and the party, downfall is inevitable.
In Bihar today, Sanjay Yadav appears to be walking the same path. Tejashwi Yadav relies almost entirely on him, from strategy to ticket allocation. Party insiders whisper that nothing moves without Sanjay’s nod. This has created resentment not just among senior RJD leaders but even within the family. Tej Pratap has already been sidelined, and now Rohini Acharya, known to be Lalu Prasad’s beloved daughter, has started speaking up.
The symbolism is hard to ignore. Just as Pandian’s overreach alienated even loyal BJD workers, Sanjay’s growing influence is now alienating family members who should have been RJD’s strongest pillars. If left unchecked, this centralization could create the same disconnection between Tejashwi and the grassroots that ultimately doomed Naveen Patnaik.
RJD was built on the socialist, Mandal legacy of Lalu Prasad Yadav. But over time it became family centric, with Rabri Devi, Tejashwi, and Tej Pratap all playing key roles. Now, even the family circle is shrinking. The party is increasingly seen as a two man show: Tejashwi and Sanjay Yadav. Others are reduced to spectators, or worse, critics from the sidelines.
This narrowing of power mirrors what happened in Odisha. From a mass based party, BJD was reduced to the personal fiefdom of Naveen and Pandian. In the same way, RJD risks losing its socialist identity and becoming an outfit where loyalty to Sanjay matters more than loyalty to ideology or to the grassroots base.
If the RJD leadership does not course correct, the consequences could be dire. Bihar’s electorate, much like Odisha’s, may soon begin to feel that the party is controlled by an unelected adviser. Opposition parties will exploit this perception, and internal fissures will only deepen. Just as Pandian came to symbolize everything wrong with the BJD structure, Sanjay Yadav could become the Achilles’ heel of the RJD.
The Rohini Acharya versus Sanjay Yadav clash is not just about personal ego. It is a red flag for the RJD. The story of BJD and V.K. Pandian is a cautionary tale that RJD cannot ignore. When one advisor begins to overshadow both the leader and the party, collapse is only a matter of time. If Sanjay Yadav continues to be the Pandian of Tejaswi Yadav, RJD too may face the same fate as BJD, a powerful party brought to its knees not by its enemies, but by its own over reliance on one unelected man.