On New Year’s Day, Bihar’s political circles witnessed a stir on the occasion of former Chief Minister Rabri Devi’s birthday, when her elder son Tej Pratap Yadav who had long remained estranged from the family visited her at the 10 Circular Road residence. During the meeting, Tej Pratap cut a cake with his mother and sought her blessings. The visit has intensified speculation about a possible reconciliation within the Lalu family.

Former minister and Jan Shakti Janata Dal president Tej Pratap Yadav shared photographs with Rabri Devi on social media, posting an emotional message. He wrote that his mother is the axis around which the entire family revolves, and that her unconditional love and lifelong struggles have kept the family together. Describing her as his greatest inspiration, Tej Pratap said that Rabri Devi’s presence is a blessing for the family.

Rabri Devi’s birthday has traditionally been observed with simplicity by the Lalu family, but Tej Pratap Yadav’s presence this year made the occasion politically significant. His gesture has raised questions about whether the long-standing distances within the family may now begin to narrow.

However, the situation regarding his return at the party level remains unclear. Tej Pratap Yadav has previously stated publicly that he would not rejoin the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), and had even taken an oath on the Bhagavad Gita to that effect. Despite this, his stance on family matters appears softer than before.

It is noteworthy that controversy erupted on May 24 last year after Tej Pratap Yadav made his personal relationship public. The very next day, RJD president Lalu Prasad Yadav expelled him from both the party and the family. The decision was also supported by Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav.

Subsequently, ahead of the Assembly elections, Tej Pratap Yadav formed a new political party named the Jan Shakti Janata Dal. He fielded candidates on several seats, but the party failed to achieve any electoral success. Tej Pratap himself also lost the Mahua Assembly seat in Vaishali district.

Meanwhile, Rabri Devi turned 67 today. She was born on January 1, 1959, in Gopalganj district. She served as the Chief Minister of Bihar from 1997 to 2005 and remains the state’s first and so far only woman Chief Minister. At present, she is the Leader of the Opposition in the Bihar Legislative Council.

Tej Pratap Yadav’s meeting with his mother on New Year’s Day and her birthday is being seen not merely as a family event, but also as a potential indicator of political changes in Bihar in the times ahead.