RJD creates new post, elevates Tejashwi Yadav as national working president at Patna meet

A new role at the top of the party

The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) on Sunday, January 25, 2026, appointed Tejashwi Yadav as the party’s national working president, a post that did not exist earlier in the organisation. The announcement was made during the RJD’s national executive meeting in Patna, where party supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav handed over the appointment letter in the presence of senior leaders.

Reports described the decision as a significant organisational shift, widening Tejashwi’s authority over routine decision-making and the party’s internal functioning. The elevation is being read as a move to formalise the leadership transition that has been underway for years.

What it signals for Bihar politics

Tejashwi, a former deputy chief minister of Bihar and the leader of the opposition, has been the party’s most visible face in recent election cycles. The new position is expected to strengthen his grip over the organisation as it attempts to consolidate its base and plan for the next round of political contests.

Party messaging around the appointment framed it as the start of a new phase, with social-media posts calling it a “new era”. The timing also indicates an effort to project clarity in leadership after years of speculation about succession.

Family and internal reactions

While the party’s top leadership presented the appointment as unanimous and forward-looking, the development also attracted attention because of reported family and factional dynamics. Media reports noted that Tejashwi’s elevation has sparked commentary from within the wider Yadav family, reflecting the high stakes involved in control of the party’s future direction.

Going ahead, the political test will be whether the structural change translates into stronger organisation-building on the ground and more coherent strategy in Bihar and beyond.