Following the recent merger of his Jan Adhikar Party with the Congress, Rajesh Ranjan, also known as Pappu Yadav, made a significant move by submitting his nomination as an Independent candidate for the Purnea Lok Sabha seat in Bihar on Thursday.
Initially, Pappu Yadav had hoped to secure the Congress nomination for the Purnea seat following the party merger. However, due to the seat being allocated to the RJD as part of the seat-sharing agreement within the Mahagathbandhan coalition in Bihar, Pappu Yadav opted to file his nomination independently.
This decision dealt a substantial blow to the RJD's candidate for Purnea, Bima Bharti, who anticipated a direct contest with the NDA nominee. With Pappu Yadav entering the fray, the competition has transformed into a three-way battle, potentially giving the NDA candidate an advantage.
Addressing supporters after submitting his nomination papers, Pappu Yadav expressed his grievances, stating, “I fail to comprehend why Lalu Prasad Yadav harbors animosity towards me. Despite assuring him of my support for his son, Tejashwi Yadav, he, along with certain Congress leaders, deceived me. Despite merging my party with the Congress at their behest, they conspired to end my political career.”
He further questioned the party's decision-making process, highlighting the denial of tickets to individuals like Kanhaiya Kumar and former Kerala Governor Nikhil Kumar. Pappu Yadav also lamented the refusal to grant a ticket to Mohammad Shahabuddin's wife, Hina Shahab, who he claimed had dedicated her life to the RJD cause.
“I didn't merge my party with the Congress solely for electoral purposes but to combat communal forces. I am committed to Purnea and will remain dedicated to the ideologies of Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi till my last breath,” he asserted firmly.
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