A DIVIDED MAHUA HEARS THE FLUTE

“DEKH dekh kon aa rahal hai helicopter se!” — the cry rippled across Harpur-Osti village in Vaishali district on Tuesday, as Tej Pratap Yadav’s helicopter descended upon a makeshift helipad.

- RAJESH KUMAR THAKUR @Mahua

The scene blended celebration with nostalgia: villagers waving, women rushing forward, and young men snapping selfies — all proclaiming, “Lalu ji ke beta hai!”

For many in Mahua, Tej Pratap remains more the son of Lalu Prasad Yadav than the former MLA or health minister. Among women voters, he is remembered fondly. “Bahut achha hai, sabse milte hain,” said Sumitra Devi, praising his easy manner and his claim of building a hospital in the area.

Among the youth, he is “Teju Bhaiya,” the flute-playing, Krishna-like figure. Nirmal Kumar, a 20-year-old first-time voter, says: “Teju Bhaiya hai, bansuri bajata aur sach bolta hai (He plays the flute, speaks the truth too). He is

thrilled that the candidate draws crowds like Krishna attracted cows.