For decades, the Bihar’s popular Yadav family functioned as a unified political force, shaped by the long partnership of Lalu Prasad Yadav and Rabri Devi. Married on June 1, 1973, after initial hesitation from Rabri’s family due to Lalu’s humble background, the couple went on to become two of Bihar’s most influential leaders. Together, they raised seven daughters and two sons while steering the rise of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD).
But the 2025 Bihar assembly election triggered a deep rupture within this powerful household. The first public signs of the rift emerged when their daughter Rohini Acharya accused Tejashwi Yadav’s close aides of mistreating her, claimed they mishandled party affairs, and announced her withdrawal from politics. She left the Patna home soon after, and reports suggested that several of her sisters followed.
Here are the details of the Yadav family
Seven daughters
Misa Bharti
The eldest daughter, Misa Bharti, was born in 1976 when Lalu was imprisoned during the Emergency. She is an MBBS graduate from Patna Medical College. She briefly assisted Rabri Devi in state administration when Lalu faced jail time in 1998. Over the years, she established herself as one of the most recognisable Yadav leaders, contesting from Patliputra and currently representing the constituency in Parliament. She is married to Shailesh Kumar, a computer engineer turned businessman.
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Rohini Acharya
Rohini Acharya, 46, an MBBS doctor residing in Singapore, became widely known in 2022 after donating a kidney to Lalu. Married to software engineer Samaresh Singh, she stepped into electoral politics by contesting from Saran in the recent Lok Sabha polls. Following the RJD's defeat, she alleged humiliation and interference by Tejashwi’s close aides, announced her exit from politics, and walked out of the Patna home, triggering the wider family feud.
Chanda Singh
Their sister Chanda Singh, a law graduate, remains largely away from electoral politics. She appears mainly at family functions and public gatherings. She is married to pilot Vikram Singh.
Ragini Yadav
Ragini Yadav once enrolled in an engineering course at the Birla Institute of Technology in Ranchi through a chief ministerial quota but did not complete the degree. Married to Samajwadi Party-linked businessman Rahul Yadav, she has stayed outside formal politics while being involved in business engagements.
Hema Yadav
Hema Yadav, assumed to have a BTech background, maintains an even lower profile. According to public records, she is married to Tej Yadav. Her life remains centred around her family, with no significant political involvement.
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Anushka Rao
Another daughter, Anushka “Dhannu” Rao, pursued interior design and is also believed to have studied law. She is married to Chiranjeev Rao, an MLA and the son of former Haryana minister Ajay Singh Yadav, which ties her to another well-known political family.
The youngest daughter, Raj Lakshmi, is an engineering graduate whose marriage further extends the family's political network. She is married to Tej Pratap Singh Yadav, former MP and grand-nephew of Samajwadi Party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav.
Two sons
Tej Pratap Yadav
Tej Pratap Yadav, born in 1988 in Gopalganj, studied up to Class 12 before entering politics. Winning the Mahua seat in 2015, he went on to serve as Bihar’s Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change. His personal and political journey has often been turbulent. After separating from Aishwarya Rai soon after their 2018 marriage and after several public disagreements, he was expelled from both the party and the family home in 2025. He later founded his own party, the Janshakti Janata Dal (JJD).
Tejashwi Yadav
Tejashwi Yadav, 35, left formal education after Class 12 and briefly played cricket professionally before entering politics. He emerged as RJD’s central figure, serving as Bihar’s Deputy Chief Minister, later as Leader of the Opposition, and finally as the Mahagathbandhan’s chief ministerial face in the 2025 elections. He is married to Rachel Godinho (now Rajshri Yadav) and has two children.
The Yadav family finds itself at a crossroads. Once the epitome of unity and political strength, it now reflects the uncertainties facing the RJD after its electoral setback. Whether the household can reconcile or whether this rupture permanently reshapes the party’s internal power structure remains to be seen in the coming months.
