In a surprising turn of events, Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav filed his nomination as an Independent candidate from the Purnea Lok Sabha seat in Bihar on Thursday, following the seat going to the RJD in the seat-sharing arrangement post his merger with the Congress. This move has turned the contest into a triangular fight.
Pappu Yadav expressed his disappointment at the turn of events, stating, “I don’t know what problem Lalu Prasad Yadav has with me. When I met him, I assured him that I would support his son (Tejashwi Yadav). Yet, he along with some Congress leaders cheated me.” He emphasized that he merged his party with the Congress to fight communal forces, and will continue to uphold the ideologies of Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi.
The decision to contest as an Independent candidate comes as a setback for the RJD candidate Bima Bharti, who was expecting a one-to-one fight with the NDA nominee. With Pappu Yadav entering the fray, the competition has intensified, giving a potential edge to the NDA nominee in the upcoming elections. Pappu Yadav’s entry has created a ripple effect in the political landscape of Purnea.
Pappu Yadav raised questions about the ticket distribution process, highlighting the denial of tickets to prominent figures such as Kanhaiya Kumar, former Kerala Governor Nikhil Kumar, and Mohammad Shahabuddin’s wife Hina Shahab. His decision to stand as an Independent candidate underscores his determination to continue his political career and challenge the status quo in Bihar politics.
