In a sharp political attack, BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad launched a blistering critique against RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, his wife Rabri Devi, and son Tejashwi Yadav, after a court formally framed charges against them in the infamous land-for-hotel scam case.

Addressing the media, Prasad questioned the moral authority of Tejashwi Yadav to promise a “new Bihar” while facing serious criminal charges. “Today, the court has framed charges against Lalu Prasad Yadav, his son Tejashwi Yadav, and his wife Rabri Devi… Tejashwi Yadav wants to change Bihar when he is facing charges of 420, framed against him by the court. What Bihar are you going to build when this is your image, and this is what the court has found against you?” said Prasad.

Explaining the details of the case, the senior BJP leader said the controversy dates back to the time when two hotels under the Indian Railways — BNR Hotel in Ranchi and another in Puri — were leased out for maintenance. According to him, “Sujata Hotels of Patna were made eligible for that application. Only one tender was found to be correct; the others were rejected.”

Prasad further alleged that the hotel’s owners, the Kochhar brothers, held a 3-acre plot in Patna worth ₹93 crore, which was later sold to a company operated by Prem Gupta’s wife, and subsequently transferred to the Yadav family at a much lower price.

Raising questions about the family’s growing wealth, Prasad added, “From 1993 to 2007, Tejashwi Yadav owned 9 agricultural and 2 non-agricultural lands, 1 commercial plot in Patna and 1 in Bhopal… Rabri Devi owns 3 agricultural and 4 non-agricultural lands, 1 commercial and 5 residential plots in Patna… What is her source of income?”

Slamming the RJD’s job promise campaign, Prasad remarked, “On what basis is every family in Bihar being lured with the promise of a job? Their record is earning profit by selling the railway’s property.”