New Delhi: Ahead of the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections, the Janata Dal United is reportedly considering fielding Aishwarya Rai—estranged daughter-in-law of RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav’s family—against a key member of the Yadav clan. If this plan materialises, it could set the stage for one of the most high-stakes electoral battles of the 2025 polls.
Sources within the JDU indicate that the party is seriously weighing the option of giving a ticket to Aishwarya Rai, the former wife of Tej Pratap Yadav, Lalu Yadav’s elder son. The decision is being viewed as both symbolic and strategic, aimed at challenging the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) on its home turf by capitalising on the highly publicised rift between Aishwarya and the Yadav family.
While the party has not yet officially disclosed the constituency, insiders suggest she could be fielded from a seat traditionally dominated by the Yadavs—possibly even against Tejashwi Yadav or another senior RJD leader. Such a contest would undoubtedly draw intense media coverage and public interest, becoming a focal point of the election narrative.
Aishwarya comes from a well-known political lineage herself. She is the daughter of former minister Chandrika Rai and the granddaughter of former Bihar Chief Minister Daroga Prasad Rai. Her marriage to Tej Pratap Yadav in 2018 and the subsequent acrimonious divorce were widely covered in the media, exposing deep fissures between the Rai and Yadav families.
JDU sources reveal that the party, under the leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, has given its nod to the move as part of a broader plan to regain influence in central and northern Bihar—regions where the RJD remains particularly strong. Insiders also claim that Aishwarya has expressed interest in stepping into active politics and could formally join the JDU soon.
Notably, if her candidature is finalised, it would mark Aishwarya’s official political debut—one likely to spark emotional, ideological, and family-driven debates on the campaign trail.
So far, neither Aishwarya nor the Yadav family has publicly responded to reports of her potential candidacy.
Political analyst Aditya Rathi described the move as a “masterstroke” by the JDU, saying it blends both political calculation and personal narrative.
“If Aishwarya contests against the Yadavs, it won’t just be a political contest—it will be a personal face-off with huge symbolic value,” Rathi noted.
With the Bihar elections slated for October–November this year, this potential showdown could become one of the most closely watched contests in the state’s electoral history.