Aditya Nath Jha, Purnea
The Congress leadership in Bihar on Friday asked Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav to withdraw his nomination from Purnea Lok Sabha seat, but stopped short of threatening any action.
Yadav, a five-time former MP who joined Congress last month, filed his nomination as an Independent candidate from Purnea on Thursday, the last day for filing nominations for seats going to vote in the second phase of parliamentary elections on April 26.
Talking to media persons in Patna, Bihar Congress president Akhilesh Prasad Singh 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 alliance. Congress has not permitted any candidate to contest as an Independent. Congress will contest nine seats in Bihar.”
He further said, “The party will not accept this. He will be advised that the date of withdrawal of nomination is not over yet and he should withdraw the nomination.”
Singh made it clear that the party would contest only two seats in Seemanchal — Kishanganj and Katihar. Dr Mohammad Jawed and Tariq Anwar have been allotted party tickets and both of them have already filed their nominations from Kishanganj and Katihar, respectively.
As part of seat sharing deal of Bihar’s opposition alliance Mahagathbandhan, Purnea was allotted to RJD, which has fielded five-time MLA Bima Bharti, who quit JD(U) last month and joined Lalu Yadav’s party.
Meanwhile, Pappu Yadav said, “I just seek the support and blessings of Lalu Prasad. I don’t need anything else. I have full support of Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and party leader Priyanka Gandhi.”
Rajesh Yadav, a close aide of Pappu Yadav, said, “There is no question of withdrawing nomination. Our leader is busy campaigning day and night.”
Pappu Yadav’s wife Ranjeet Ranjan is currently a Congress member of the Rajya Sabha.
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