Pappu urges Lalu to ‘look beyond family’, spare Purnea for him
The former MP, who earlier had announced that he would file his nomination papers from Purnea on April 2, said he has extended it by two days since his “supporters across India wanted to participate in his nomination”.
Former MP Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav, who joined the Congress last month, on Monday urged RJD chief Lalu Prasad to spare Purnea seat for him in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
“I am also a member of your family. Please don’t confine yourself within four members of your family and try to look beyond,” the five-time former MP told reporters in Purnea, in an apparent reference to the RJD chief’s children Tejashwi Yadav, Tej Pratap Yadav, Misa Bharti and Rohini Acharya who are in politics or about to enter.
He reiterated his demand to declare him as the candidate of INDIA bloc for Purnea seat, which has gone to RJD as part of seat sharing within the RJD-led opposition alliance Mahagathbandhan in Bihar, which also comprises Congress and Left parties.
For Purnea, RJD has already allotted party symbol to Bima Bharti, a five-time MLA who recently quit JD(U) and joined Lalu Yadav’s party. She is yet to file her nomination for the seat, which goes to vote on April 26 in the second of the seven-phase parliamentary elections.
RJD is set to field Misa Bharti, a Rajya Sabha member, from Patliputra Lok Sabha seat and Rohini Acharya from Saran. Tejsahwi and Tej Pratap are already Bihar legislative assembly members and former ministers.
Defers filing nomination
Meanwhile, Pappu Yadav, who earlier had announced that he would file his nomination papers from Purnea on April 2, said he has extended it by two days since his “supporters across India wanted to participate in his nomination”.
“I am also waiting for the decision from top leaders of my party in this regard. At the same time, I once again appeal to RJD chief Lalu Prasad to reconsider his decision,” he said. “Lalu Prasad will play his role as a big brother in Bihar politics by offering Purnea seat to Congress.”
Pappu Yadav had merged his party Jan Adhikar Party (JAP) with Congress on March 20 in the hope he would be given ticket for Purnea seat.
JD(U) has already decided to field its sitting MP Santosh Kumar, who filed his nomination on March 28.
