Tejashwi vows to fight BJP like a 'true Bihari' amid IRCTC scam charges

RJD leader and former Bihar deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav has declared that he will continue his struggle against the BJP as long as he lives, following fresh legal challenges. On Monday, Tejashwi lashed out at Union home minister Amit Shah and stated, as a "true Bihari", he does not fear outsiders.

The statement came in response to a Delhi court framing criminal charges against Tejashwi, his father Lalu Prasad Yadav, and mother Rabri Devi, both former chief ministers of Bihar.

The charges pertain to an alleged corruption scandal involving IRCTC (Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation) hotel contracts. Despite the legal difficulties, Yadav appeared defiant, offering his supporters a message of resilience.

“A month ago, when Union home minister Amit Shah visited Bihar, he threatened not to let us contest elections. But I will fight and I will win. We are Biharis, true Biharis… We do not fear outsiders. Jai Bihar, Jai Bihari,” Tejashwi posted in Hindi on X.

He added, “As long as the BJP, which is anti-Constitution, remains in power and I am alive, we will continue to fight against it. There's a special thrill in battling storms. We have chosen the path of struggle. By walking this path, we will reach our destination.”

The court, presided over by special judge Vishal Gogne, framed charges of criminal conspiracy and cheating against Rabri Devi and Tejashwi Yadav. These charges relate to alleged irregularities in awarding operational contracts for two IRCTC hotels to a private firm.

जब तक दंगाई एवं संविधान विरोधी बीजेपी सत्ता में है और मेरी उम्र है बीजेपी से लड़ते रहेंगे। तूफ़ानों से लड़ने में मज़ा ही कुछ और है। हमने संघर्ष पथ चुना है। संघर्ष पथ पर चलते-चलते अच्छे मुसाफ़िर बन निश्चित ही मंजिल प्राप्त करेंगे।

एक महीना पहले बिहार आकर गृहमंत्री अमित शाह जी…

— Tejashwi Yadav (@yadavtejashwi) October 13, 2025

Delhi court frames charges against Lalu, Rabri Devi and Tejashwi Yadav in IRCTC case

Additionally, charges under the Prevention of Corruption Act were framed against Lalu Prasad Yadav, escalating the case toward trial.

In response to the charges, the accused pleaded not guilty. Reacting to the court's decision, RJD Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Kumar Jha criticised the proceedings, stating they represented “a miscarriage of justice driven by political rivalry”, which undermines public faith in democratic institutions.

The charges come with less than a month remaining before the crucial Bihar Assembly elections, intensifying political tensions in the state. Both the RJD and its allies will now be challenged to maintain momentum amid legal and political pressures.

The IRCTC hotel scam case focuses on accusations that, during Lalu Prasad Yadav’s tenure as Union railway minister from 2004-09, contracts for IRCTC hotels in Ranchi and Puri were allegedly awarded fraudulently in exchange for the transfer of prime land to shell companies linked to the Yadav family.

The charges formalise the Central Bureau of Investigation’s case, which began years ago and involves allegations of corruption, cheating and conspiracy in a high-profile political scandal.

With PTI inputs

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