Lalu Prasad Yadav's son Tejashwi Yadav has written to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar requesting the installation of life-size statues of three towering figures in the Rashtriya Janata Dal's history — former Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan, senior leader Sharad Yadav, and veteran politician Raghuvansh Prasad Singh.
In his letter, Tejashwi described the three leaders as indispensable architects of the party's political identity and urged the state government to honour their contributions by erecting enduring memorials in public spaces across Bihar. He argued that these statues would serve not only as tributes to their legacy but also as reminders to younger generations of the sacrifices made by leaders who shaped Bihar's modern political landscape.
Ram Vilas Paswan, who passed away in 2020, served multiple terms as a Union cabinet minister and was the face of the Lok Janshakti Party before merging with the RJD. Sharad Yadav, who died in 2014, was one of the founding leaders of the Janata Dal and played a crucial role in the Yadav family's political consolidation. Raghuvansh Prasad Singh remains an active and influential RJD leader in Bihar politics.
Political analysts suggest that this move is part of a broader strategy by the RJD to position itself as a catch-all party representing all castes and communities — what party workers describe as standing for the "A to Z" of Bihar's social fabric. By invoking these three leaders, each of whom came from different community backgrounds, the RJD appears to be reinforcing its secular and inclusive political image ahead of future electoral battles.
The request now rests with the Bihar government, which will decide whether to allocate land and funds for the proposed statues.
