Former Member of Parliament Rajesh Ranjan, famously known as Pappu Yadav, broke down on stage during an independent nomination filing event in Bihar’s Purnea constituency. Despite his affiliation with the Congress, Yadav defiantly lodged his nomination, expressing deep emotional distress over being repeatedly denied a ticket from the seat.

With tears streaming down his face, Yadav openly questioned the reasoning behind his exclusion, particularly pointing fingers at leaders Lalu Yadav and Tejashwi Yadav of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). He criticized their decision to field another candidate, Bhima Bharti, against him despite his expressed desire to represent Purnea.

In his impassioned speech, Yadav lamented, “After all, what was lacking in me? Why was I being told again and again to go to Madhepura or Supaul?” He also expressed dismay at the sight of Lalu Prasad Yadav and Tejashwi Yadav accompanying his opponent during the nomination process, a move that deeply hurt him.

Despite being a recent entrant into the Congress fold, Yadav remained resolute in his decision to contest from Purnea, disregarding the seat-sharing arrangement between the RJD and Congress. His party, however, openly declared its support for RLD’s Bhima Bharti in the constituency, further complicating the political landscape.

In response, Bihar Congress chief Akhilesh Prasad Singh affirmed that any deviation from the agreed-upon seat allocation would not receive the party’s backing. This statement was echoed by Bihar Congress spokesperson Rajesh Rathore, emphasizing that Yadav is not a Congress nominee and that the party stands firmly behind Bhima Bharti in Purnea.