'Family has forsaken me, supporting outsiders': Tej Pratap after filing for divorce

After he decided to end his six-month-old marriage with Aishwarya Rai, RJD leader Tej Pratap Yadav on Sunday said his family has "rejected" him and was supporting "outsiders" against their family member.

Justifying his move for separation, Tej Pratap Yadav said he was a "simple man" who was forced to marry the "urbane" Ashwarya Rai against his wishes and had been living a "stifled life" since then. PTI Photo

PATNA: After he decided to end his six-month-old marriage with Aishwarya Rai, RJD leader Tej Pratap Yadav on Sunday said his family has "forsaken" him and was supporting "outsiders" against their family member. Yadav, Prasad's elder son, filed a divorce petition at a court on Friday in Patna citing incompatibility with Rai, daughter of RJD leader Chandrika Rai, whom he married on May 12. Rai's grandfather Daroga Rai was the chief minister of Bihar for a brief period in the early 70s. "I stand by my decision and won't bend down. Father had said I should wait for him but I am not going to do that because I don't know when will he get the bail," the former Bihar health minister said. "I cannot wait any longer as there's a conspiracy being hatched. The girl was at her home for the last two months and has the support of my family. "They should have backed me but chose to support the outsiders. This is injustice. All the members of my family --father, mother, sisters and brother-- are supporting her and have forsaken me, their own son," Yadav said. On Saturday, Yadav met his father for over two hours at Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences in Ranchi, where the RJD chief is lodged in custody in connection with fodder scam cases. Justifying his move for separation, Yadav said he was a "simple man" who was forced to marry the "urbane" Rai against his wishes and had been living a "stifled life" since then. Yadav had said, "I had told my parents that I did not wish to marry at this moment. But nobody listened to me. Ours was a mismatch. I am a simple man with simple habits while she is a modern woman, educated in Delhi and used to life in a metropolis." He said he has not been on talking terms with Rai for the past couple of months. Asked whether his younger brother Tejashwi Yadav has spoken to him on the issue, he said they talk about politics, not about private matters. In his petition, Yadav has stated cruelty as the reason for seeking divorce. (With inputs from PTI)