Bihar bypolls: Pappu Yadav may campaign with Kanhaiya for Cong

Patna:  Jan Adhikar Party (JAP) chief Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav is likely to campaign with Congress leader Kanhaiya Kumar for the October 30 by-elections to Kusheshwar Asthan (Darbhanga) and Tarapur (Munger).

Yadav is likely to announce his future plans to campaign in favour of Congress candidates on Friday.

“JAP has given a ticket to a candidate from Kusheshwar Asthan to apply pressure on the Congress. Now, it is almost clear that the JAP candidate will be asked to support the Congress candidate. This could be announced by Pappu Yadav himself on Friday,” a JAP insider said.

He said that Yadav will share the stage with Kanhaiya Kumar during election rallies for these two seats in the next few days.

The close proximity between Pappu Yadav and Congress leaders came to light soon after the former was acquitted in the 32-year-old kidnapping case of Madhepura. He was arrested by Bihar Police at a time when he was spearheading corona relief work and helping patients across the state. He had also unearthed over 40 unused new ambulances from the office premises of BJP MP Rajiv Pratap Rudy in Saran district. Due to that incident, he managed to gain sympathy of the people of Bihar and the Congress is well aware of it.

“Pappu Yadav had several times told Congress to separate from the RJD and then he and his party would support him. Now, the Bihar by-election is turning out to be an ideal pitch for him to gain political ground,” a political watcher said.

Earlier on Thursday, state Congress chief Madan Mohan Jha wrote officially to Pappu Yadav, urging him to support Congress candidates in Kusheshwar Asthan and Tarapur.

As per the content of the letter, Jha said: “As per discussion with you (Pappu Yadav) and state in-charge Bhakta Charan Das, every Congressman wanting from you to do political support in favour of Congress candidate Atirek Kumar who is contesting from of Kusheshwar Asthan and Rajesh Kumar Mishra of Tarapur.”

“We are requesting you to kindly give your party’s support to the Congress candidate,” he said.

(IANS)