Tej Pratap Yadav (PTI image)

NEW DELHI: Janshakti Janata Dal (JJD) chief Tej Pratap Yadav on Sunday strongly denied rumours circulating on social media that a woman allegedly linked to him has given birth to his child, calling the claims false and defamatory. He accused political rivals and former associates of deliberately spreading misinformation and said that he would take legal action.Addressing a late-evening press conference, former Bihar minister said that the rumours had caused him severe mental distress and were part of a targeted campaign to malign him. He claimed the speculation resurfaced months after a controversy that led to his expulsion from the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), headed by his father Lalu Prasad.“I am distraught at rumours on social media that a woman with whom I had been falsely linked several months ago, which resulted in my expulsion from the party, has given birth to my child,” Yadav said.Providing background to the controversy, Yadav recalled that a post had gone viral last year from his Facebook account, claiming he had been “in a relationship, for 12 years” with a woman. He reiterated that the post was not authored by him and alleged that his social media account had been compromised.He claimed the post was the result of “hacking” carried out by what he described as “the five Jaichands,” using a metaphor for traitors. Naming them publicly, Yadav said, “There has been some suspense about who the Jaichands I have been speaking about are. Here are the names — Mukesh Raushan, Sanjay Yadav, Shakti Singh Yadav, Rameez and Sunil Singh.”Notably, Sanjay Yadav is a sitting RJD Rajya Sabha MP, Sunil Singh is a member of the legislative council, Mukesh Raushan and Shakti Singh Yadav are former MLAs and Rameez is considered close to Tejashwi Yadav, Tej Pratap’s younger brother and the RJD’s national working president.Rejecting the latest claims outright, Yadav told reporters, “I reject this completely, a controversy was created, Akash Bhati will be revealing the truth. They are trying to defame me. I will go to court.”He said he became aware of the rumours after being told that union minister Jitan Ram Manjhi had “congratulated” him on the alleged birth of a child, which he said shocked him.Yadav also linked the renewed controversy to his recent political activities. “Recently, I hosted a well-attended feast on the occasion of Makar Sankranti. This has made my detractors wary of the prospects of my party. I will seek legal action against them. I will move the court. I have also sought an appointment with Home Minister Samrat Choudhary,” he said.Appealing for an end to the speculation, he added, “I beg my detractors to let me live in peace. I know the person with whom the woman is in a relationship and who, I believe, is the father of the child. They are causing mental anguish to me by dragging my name.”Tej Pratap Yadav was expelled from the RJD last year for what the party described as “serious breaches of moral and social values,” following a public fallout triggered by the viral Facebook post. The episode added to long-running controversies surrounding him, including his strained marriage with Aishwarya, the granddaughter of former Bihar chief minister Daroga Rai. Aishwarya had left their matrimonial home within months of the wedding, alleging mistreatment, and the divorce case is still pending in court.Since his expulsion, Yadav has floated his own political outfit, the Janshakti Janata Dal and has repeatedly ruled out any return to the RJD, saying he would “choose death over returning to that party.” He has maintained that his political journey is guided by “principles and self-respect,” not by the pursuit of power.