Purnea Showdown: Congress Disowns Pappu Yadav To Back RJD's Bima Bharti

New Delhi: Ahead of the crucial Lok Sabha elections, the Opposition’s rainbow alliance seems to be failing in putting up a show against the Bharatiya Janata Party and divide is more evident in states like Bihar. Despite Bima Bharti had filed her nomination from the Purnea Lok Sabha seat as a RJD candidate, former MP Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav has also jumped into the fray. 

Purnea Lok Sabha seat has been a bone of contention between the Congress and Rashtriya Janata Dal- the two constituents of INDI alliance. While JDU turncoat Bima Bharti had joined the Rashtriya Janata Dal on the condition of contesting the upcoming Lok Sabha election from Purnea, Pappu Yadav joined the Congress last week, merging the Jan Adhikar Party (JAP) which he founded in 2015. 

How Politics Unfolded Over Purnea 

As he joined Congress, Pappu Yadav claimed that he will be contesting from Purnea as the INDI alliance candidate. He claimed that he had the “assurance” from Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi. 

However, his attempt was thwarted as Lalu Yadav claimed not just Purnea and Madhepura but also Supaul for his party. 

Lalu Yadav gave party symbol to Bima Bharti, who filed her nomination papers on Wednesday. “I have filed my nomination today.

 "It is everyone's right to contest elections. I will request him (Congress leader Pappu Yadav) to support me,” said Bima Bharti after filing her nomination papers for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections from Purnea seat. 

Yadav also expressed the wish for a "friendly fight" in Purnea, citing the example of Wayanad in Kerala where Rahul Gandhi's re-election is being challenged by Annie Raja of CPI, despite the party being an INDI bloc ally like the Congress. The Congress' Bihar unit, however, seems reluctant for any type of fight with RJD, on which it has become heavily dependent over the years, having itself become a spent force in the state.

Pappu Yadav Files Nomination From Purnea 

Just a day later on April 4, Pappu Yadav filed his nomination as an independent candidate. 

Pappu Yadav said that he had requested Lalu Yadav to allow him to contest from Purnea, but he refused. “I said the same thing to Lalu Yadav with folded hands that I will definitely win from Purnea if I get to contest. I received a call from the RJD leader suggesting that I should contest from Madhepura. I said it would be  suicidal for me if I leave this place," said Pappu Yadav. 

Pappu Yadav said that he asked RJD leader if he could contest on a RJD ticket as the seat has gone to the party under the seat-sharing arrangement, but was refused. “I said that I will contest on a RJD ticket from Purnea, and we can shift Bima Bharti to Madhepura,” said Pappu Yadav. 

Pappu Yadav debuted in politics in 1990 when he contested in Bihar Assembly elections as an independent candidate from Madhepura. A five-time MP, Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav had defeated hen JD(U) president Sharad Yadav in Madhepura in the 2014 general elections, however, he lost the 2020 Bihar assembly elections. 

Pappu Yadav Vs Lalu Yadav in Bihar

Pappu Yadav was aware that his decision to join the Congress party may hurt Lalu Yadav and mindful of the fact, he had sought the ailing septuagenarian's blessings before joining the national party. He went to meet Lalu Yadav and Tejashwi Yadav at their residence. 

After Bima Bharti announced her candidature, Pappu Yadav even postponed his nomination in order to mend ties with Lalu Yadav. “I have asked for just one seat and said if you're having a problem with Congress, I'll join you but allow me to contest from Purnea. You have taken Supaul, Purnea, Madhepura, and Araria and left no place for Congress to field Pappu Yadav. ‘Arthi Uthegi Purnea Se Aur Liptegi Congress Ke Jhande Me’,” said Pappu Yadav. 

He said, "I have waited and postponed my nomination thinking Lalu Yadav would bless me as a son, but the very first nomination they did was against Pappu Yadav, I am left with no other option." 

There are two popular opinions over the tussle between Lalu Yadav and Pappu Yadav. While one camp suggests that Lalu Yadav doesn't wish to allow the rise or another Yadav leader, anothers say that Lalu Yadav has taken the decision owing to the past instances. Notably, JAP was floated a year after Pappu Yadav won Madhepura Lok Sabha seat on an RJD ticket but was expelled by the RJD chief Lalu Yadav. 

Congress Disowns Pappu Yadav 

As Pappu Yadav filed his nomination as an independent candidate, Bihar Congress chief Akhilesh Prasad Singh objected to his decision. Comparing Yadav's decision with Congress leader Nikhil Kumar, the Bihar party chief said, "We didn't get Aurangabad seat. Nikhil Kumar was our candidate but he didn't file nomination. Nobody is allowed to file nomination after Mahagathbandhan."