Perform 'thumka' for me or face suspension: Tej Pratap to cop
Patna, Mar 15 (PTI): Maverick RJD leader Tej Pratap Yadav found himself at the centre of a fresh controversy on Saturday when a policeman was commanded by the former Bihar minister to perform a 'thumka' (pelvic thrust) or face suspension.
The lurid drama unfolded at the official residence of Yadav, the elder son of former chief ministers Lalu Prasad and Rabri Devi, during holi celebrations.
In a style reminiscent of the 'kapda faad Holi' that his father used to organise, Yadav tore off clothes of supporters who poured in to greet him, and also drove a scooter on the streets adjoining his house, screaming "Happy Holi Paltu Chacha", a taunt obviously aimed at Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who has aligned with and dumped the RJD twice.
One of the videos of his revelry that has gone viral on social media show the Hasanpur MLA regally seated on a sofa, placed on a make-shift stage, holding a mike.
"Ae sipahi, ae Deepak, abhi ek gana bajaenge jis par tumko thumka lagana padega. Nahin lagaoge to tumko suspend Kar denge. Bura na maano Holi hai (Hey policeman Deepak.....we are going to play a song on which you shall perform a pelvic thrust. If you do not, you will suspended. Don't mind. It's Holi"),Yadav can be heard as saying before a musical band bursts into a devotional song that is often played during the festival of colours in Bihar.
The policeman did not seem much offended as although he did not break into a 'thumka', he nonetheless obliged Yadav by hopping a few times with his right arm raised high in the air.
However, the impropriety that involved a man in uniform drew criticism from the BJP.
BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala came out with a strongly worded statement alleging "like father, like son. First, the father - as the then CM used to make law dance to his tunes and turn Bihar into a jungle raj. Now, the son, despite being out of power, attempts to make laws and protectors of law dance to his tunes through threats and pressure".
Poonawala added "he (Yadav) threatens police personnel with suspension if he doesn't dance. This shows that RJD believes in jungle raj...If they come to power even by mistake, they would violate the law and make protectors of law dance...This is a trailer. So, it is important to keep them away from power...".
Tej Pratap Yadav is an absolute disaster.
— Roshan Rai (@RoshanKrRaii) March 15, 2025
Will single handedly become the reason for RJD and Tejasvi's downfall.
Asking a cop in his security to dance in uniform and threatening him of suspension if he refuses.
Shameful! pic.twitter.com/rALHDThWeQ
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
