The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) is navigating one of its most challenging phases as party chief Lalu Prasad Yadav publicly reaffirmed his support for his son, Tejashwi Yadav, amid poll setbacks and growing family tensions. The endorsement came at a crucial moment, with the party still recovering from a severe electoral defeat in Bihar.

At a meeting of newly elected RJD MLAs held in Patna on Monday, Lalu Prasad attempted to restore stability within the organisation by making it clear that Tejashwi would continue to lead the party. He praised the former deputy chief minister for his dedication and efforts during the campaign.

“Tejashwi has carried the party forward, and he will continue to take it ahead,” Lalu told legislators, sending a strong message at a time when internal disagreements have become increasingly visible. His statement appeared aimed at quelling speculation about leadership changes triggered by the poor electoral performance and reports of discord within the Yadav family.

Tejashwi, addressing the meeting after his father, acknowledged the party’s disappointing results. He admitted that the scale of defeat was unexpected and emphasised that the RJD had already begun analysing what went wrong.

“We did not foresee such an outcome,” he said. Tejashwi added that he had sought detailed feedback from every constituency, particularly those where RJD candidates lost by small margins.

He also questioned legislators about whether there were discrepancies between their assessment of voter sentiment and the final electronic voting machine (EVM) results. “Was there a mismatch between the EVM figures and what you believed the ground situation to be? Do we have any proof?” he asked, urging MLAs to provide clarity and honest feedback.

As the RJD attempts to regroup, Lalu’s clear endorsement of Tejashwi signals that the party intends to move forward under the younger Yadav’s leadership despite internal and electoral challenges.