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Why Tejashwi told Lalu and Rabri he won't marry now

October 03, 2018 13:29 IST

Lalu and Rabri were keen that he marry during the traditional marriage season, but he asked them to give him more time to make his mark in politics.
M I Khan reports from Patna

Photograph: Kind courtesy Tejashwi Yadav/Facebook

Marriage can wait, but politics can't for Tejashwi Yadav, Bihar's 28-year-old Leader of the Opposition.

With the focus set on the 2019 Lok Sabha election to prove his leadership presence in his jailed father Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad Yadav's absence, Tejashwi's priority is politics and not marriage at the moment.

"I will marry only after the Lok Sabha polls next year," Tejashwi declared after visiting his ailing father in Ranchi.

His parents will choose the girl for him like they decided his political career, Lalu's younger son added.

"I will marry as per the wishes of my parents and the girl they select for me. I will simply prefer an arranged marriage decided by my parents," he said.

Tejashwi revealed that marriage proposals have been coming in from Bihar as well as from other states including Uttar Pradesh.

 

Two years ago, when he was deputy chief minister, he reportedly received 44,000 marriage proposals on WhatsApp when he shared his number for complaints about bad roads.

A senior RJD leader, close to Lalu and his wife former chief minister Rabri Devi, said Tejashwi's parents were keen that he marry during the traditional marriage season, locally known as lagan, but he asked them to give him more time to make his mark in politics.

"Tejashwi Yadav is not merely a cricketer-turned-politician. He is a leader in the making. He understands politics. He has a long inning to play in politics," the senior RJD leader said.

"Tejashwi is not in a hurry to marry because the demand of politics is more than anything at present," a young RJD leader said.

Tej Pratap Yadav, Tejashwi's elder brother and former Bihar health minister, wed Aishwarita Rai, RJD leader Chandrika Rai's daughter, in May.

All his seven sisters including Dr Misa Bharti, a Rajya Sabha member, are married.

Tejashwi has already began preparations for the Lok Sabha election.

The RJD will launch the second phase of its Samvidhan Bachao Nyay Yatra (Save the Constitution Justice Yatra) from Saran district in north Bihar after Durga Puja.

Tejashwi has also planned a mega rally in December where the RJD will bring together Opposition leaders including Congress President Rahul Gandhi, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam chief M K Stalin, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and the Left parties leaders.

M I Khan in Patna