Constituency watch — Purnia: With Pappu Yadav’s entry in Purnia fray, winning prospects of RJD in jeopardy

Tribune News Service

Aksheev Thakur

New Delhi, April 25

Purnia in the Seemanchal region which goes to the polls on Friday has garnered more attention than the other four Lok Sabha seats in Bihar that will vote in the second phase.

More than sitting MP Santosh Kushwaha of the JD(U), RJD candidate Bima Bharti, it is the three-time MP Pappu Yadav who has hogged the limelight. Pappu who is contesting as an Independent after being refused the ticket from INDIA bloc has put in jeopardy the RJD’s efforts to win the seat for the first time.

He first made news when he joined the Congress last month amid speculation that the party would field him from the constituency. But the Congress’ Mahagathbandhan ally RJD refused to give up the constituency.

Pappu is likely to cut into the RJD’s traditional vote base of Muslims and Yadavs, who together have more than six lakh votes, rather than the JD(U) base of forward castes, OBCs and extremely backward classes (EBCs).

As Pappu had been drawing good response during campaigning, RJD leader and former Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar Tejashwi Yadav has made it a question of prestige.

While he sought votes for Bharti, Tejashwi told the crowd “If you are not supporting Bima Bharati, let the JD(U) win. Either you vote for the RJD or the NDA.”

Sources in the RJD say that in 2015, Pappu had said if Tejashwi won an election, he would quit politics. “This has hurt him a lot and till date that anger has not subsided,” a senior RJD leader said.

Vinod Banbasi of the Musahar community who is a resident of Purnia said, “Pappu will make a dent in RJD’s vote base.”

Pappu said, “I am a son of Purnia. Purnia is everything to me. Why are Lalu Yadav and his son (Tejashwi) after Purnia? They should concentrate on winning Patna Saheb. Those who tried to politically finish me should come here to see the overwhelming public support I enjoy.”

Kishanganj, Katihar, Banka and Bhagalpur constituencies will also vote on April 26.

Vital stats

13.05 lakh: Total voters

6.88 L: Male

6.17 L: Female

Total candidates in fray: 4

Voting date: April 26

Peek into past (2019 LS poll)

Winner: Santosh Kumar of the Janata Dal (United)

Polled: 6,32,924 votes

Nearest rival: Uday Singh of the Congress

Polled: 3,69,463 votes

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