Patna, Oct 1 (IANS) Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav’s daughter Rohini Acharya returned to Patna on Thursday, marking her first visit to Bihar since a public family dispute last year.
Lalu Prasad Yadav, former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi and RJD MP Misa Bharti were among those who reached the airport to receive her.
A large number of RJD workers also gathered at the airport as Rohini arrived.
Speaking to reporters, Rohini said she had returned to Patna at her father’s request and appealed against interpreting the visit politically.
She said she came primarily to meet her parents and attend a private program.
RJD workers raised slogans welcoming Rohini at the airport.
Responding to questions about the gathering, she said the young people of Bihar were like brothers to her and had come to meet her.
Rohini also said that although she had been away from Patna, the city had always remained close to her heart.
Her return follows a social media post earlier this week in which she indicated that she would return to her father after receiving his invitation.
“For me, nothing is greater than my Papa, his happiness and his blessings,” she wrote, adding that she was returning to fulfil her responsibility as a daughter.
Misa Bharti described Rohini’s return as an emotional moment for the family.
She said a daughter returning home after being away naturally evokes strong emotions and that family members traditionally come forward to welcome her.
Rohini had publicly announced last year that she was distancing herself from politics and her family.
Her subsequent social media statements brought family disagreements into the public domain.
Her return to Patna comes after several months of public discussion over the family dispute.
The family has not formally stated whether the development marks a broader resolution of those differences.
Rohini has regularly commented on Bihar’s political and social issues through social media.
She has also criticised the state government over issues, including the flood situation.
RJD leader and advocate Sachin Ahir welcomed her return, citing the day’s astrological coincidence and hoping the development would bring positive changes within both the party and the family.
However, Rohini herself described the visit as primarily a family matter and urged that it not be given a political colour.
Rohini contested the 2024 Lok Sabha election from Bihar’s Saran constituency as an RJD candidate.
She lost the election to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Rajiv Pratap Rudy.
Her return to Patna has nevertheless attracted considerable attention because of the circumstances surrounding her departure from the state and her subsequent public statements about her family and political involvement.
–IANS
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