Patna, Nov 5 (India Today) : Two days after filing for divorce, the elder son of Lalu Prasad, Tej Pratap Yadav, has now decided to rebel against his own family. After calling his wife Aishwarya Rai too "urbane" for his simpleton heart, Tej Pratap on Sunday (November 4) said that the reason behind his "stifling life" is none other than his own family that is now part of a conspiracy against him.
"Everyone in my family is supporting the girl [Aishwarya]...I am not in touch with her for more than one month now. But now suddenly she has come back home and is getting support from my family members...There is definitely a conspiracy behind all this and some of my family members are also involved in this," said Tej Pratap.
A day after filing a divorce petition at a Patna court on Friday (November 2) citing incompatibility, Tej Pratap went to meet his ailing and incarcerated father and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav at a hospital in Ranchi. It seems that even Lalu is not supportive of his son's decision. But Tej Pratap is clear in his mind. "My father has asked me to wait but I will not change my mind," he said today.
Earlier, he also told reporters that he was just a pawn and was forced to marry Aishwarya against his wishes. Tej Pratap, who was the health minister in the grand alliance government, married Aishwarya Rai in May this year. Aishwarya also comes from a political family. Her grandfather Daroga Rai was a former chief minister of Bihar while her father Chandrika Rai is a former minister and RJD leader.
Their wedding was attended by several politicians including Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Governor Satya Pal Malik and Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan. RJD chief Lalu Prasad was out on parole to attend the wedding of his son. The ceremony saw a huge turnout of RJD workers, who had come to meet party chief Lalu Prasad.
The development has shocked not just the political class. Aishwarya Rai's father and mother drove into the Yadav household Friday night where Tej Pratap's mother Rabri Devi holds court in Lalu Prasad's absence. Aishwarya Rai, who now stays at her in-laws' house, has not commented yet.
For now, Tej Pratap has made it clear that there's no going back. The case will come up for hearing on November 29. He has cited incompatibility and cruelty as grounds for seeking divorce. He said the separation has been sought invoking Section 13 A of the Hindu Marriage Act under which either spouse can unilaterally seek divorce.