Pappu Yadav ignores Congress advice, remains in fray from Purnea Lok Sabha seat
Pappu Yadav had filed his nomination as an independent and the question was whether the Congress party would take any action against him but that remains unclear
Purnea: Bihar leader Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav’s refusal to withdraw his candidature from Purnea Lok Sabha seat on Monday, the last day of withdrawing nomination, has put the Congress party in a fix.
Yadav , who is set to contest as an independent candidate, has been allotted the ‘scissors’ election symbol.
The Purnea Lok Sabha seat has gone to Congress alliance partner, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), in the seat-sharing formula in the Mahaghatbandhan, a coalition comprising the Congress, the Left parties besides the RJD.
Yadav had merged his party Jan Adhikar Party (Loktantrik) with Congress earlier.
Talking to media persons in Patna last week, Bihar Congress president Akhilesh Prasad Singh had said: “There is no debate over it in the Congress. The party’s high command has already put its stamp over the seat sharing of the Mahagathbandhan. The Congress has not permitted any candidate to contest as an independent candidate. The party will not accept this. He will be advised that the date of withdrawal of nomination is not over yet, he should withdraw the nomination.”
Also Read: Pappu Yadav files nomination for Purnea seat, Cong says it backs RJD nominee
The Congress will contest nine seats in Bihar and only two seats in Seemanchal-Kishanganj and Katihar.
Yadav had filed his nomination as an independent and the question was whether the Congress party would take any action against him but that remains unclear.
“We have intimated it to the top leaders and they will (have to) take the decision in this regard. Our party is behind the grand alliance nominee Bima Bharti,” said Purnea Congress party president Chhotu Singh.
“The matter is hypersensitive. The top party leadership has been informed and it is up to them to take any decision in this regard,” a senior district Congress party leader told HT asking not to be named.
Five-time MP Pappu Yadav has been busy campaigning aggressively for the election in Purnea where he won the parliamentary election thrice (1991, 1996 and 1999). He won the Madhepura seat twice (2004 and 2014).
“Now it is official that in Purnea contest is triangular with five –time MLA Bima Bharti is in fray on RJD ticket against JD-U nominee Santosh Kumar while Pappu Yadav contesting as an independent candidate,” said the leader quoted above.
Purnea will go to poll on April 26 when about 19 lakh voters will be eligible to exercise their franchise to elect their representative among seven candidates.
