Patna: The entry of Mohammad Shahabuddin’s wife, Hena Shahab, and son, Osama Shahab, into the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), has sparked a significant backlash from leaders of the NDA and Jan Suraaj Party, who have criticised Lalu Prasad Yadav and Tejashwi Yadav for this decision.
BJP spokesperson Niraj Kumar remarked on Monday that this move signals a potential revival of ‘Jungle Raj,’ a term used to describe Bihar’s law-and-order issues during earlier RJD regimes.
“Shahabuddin, a former MP known for his criminal background, represents a legacy many Bihar residents reject. Tejashwi Yadav brought Shahabuddin’s family into the RJD, implying that he is prioritising political gains over the public’s sentiments. Hena Shahab has faced multiple electoral defeats,” Kumar said.
The induction of Shahabuddin’s family into the RJD underscores a political move that has intensified debates over Bihar’s future and its leadership, with NDA leaders reaffirming their stance that the state should not return to past eras of instability and violence.
Prashant Kishor also criticised the RJD, following the induction of Hena Shahab and Osama Shahab into the party.
He highlighted that the RJD has not genuinely represented the Muslim community despite positioning itself as a leader of Muslims in Bihar.
“The RJD has brought a family to the party but not given adequate participation in the election. The RJD did not field a single Muslim candidate in the ongoing bye-elections, whereas the Jan Suraaj Party endorsed a Muslim candidate in the Belaganj constituency. The RJD has created fear among Muslim voters about the BJP, without granting them proportionate representation in politics,” Kishor said.
Kishor employed a powerful metaphor, suggesting that the Muslim community has been like “kerosene in a lantern,” with the RJD benefiting from their support but failing to provide them with a fair political platform.
He promised that the Jan Suraaj Party, on the other hand, would ensure Muslim youth have opportunities to participate in politics by fostering their talents and resources.
Hena Shahab and Osama Shahab joined the RJD in the presence of the party’s National President Lalu Prasad Yadav and Tejashwi Yadav, marking a significant, albeit complex, political alignment.
Shahabuddin, Hena’s late husband, was a founding member of the RJD, but after his death, neither Lalu nor Tejashwi attended his burial, which strained ties between the two families.
Hena Shahab had contested previous elections independently but was unsuccessful.
This recent move appears to be mutually beneficial as Lalu Prasad Yadav seeks to consolidate Muslim support for the RJD, while Hena Shahab sees an opportunity for political gains under the party’s established framework.
–IANS