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Journalism of Courage
The seat-sharing talks between Congress and RJD in Bihar are stuck mainly over the Purnea seat. Former MP Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav, who recently merged his Jan Adhikar Party (JAP) into Congress, is adamant on contesting from Purnea, while RJD plans to field former minister and Rupauli MLA Bima Bharati.
Yadav’s wife Ranjeet Ranjan is a Congress Rajya Sabha MP.
Sources said Bharati had joined the RJD recently on the condition that she would contest from Purnea. While three Left parties have settled with the offer of contesting five seats, Congress has been demanding at least nine seats, including Purnea.
Pappu Yadav has been telling the media over the past one week that he will contest only from Purnea. “I have represented the seat and have always been in touch with its people. I have blessings of top Congress leaders…I can leave my body, but not Purnea,” said Yadav, who apparently does not seem to have the backing of Bihar Congress chief Akhilesh Prasad Singh. Yadav, however, has been banking on support of top Congress leaders, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, in his bid to contest from the seat.
An RJD leader said: “Our talks on seat-sharing are stuck over Pappu Yadav’s matter and the Congress’s demand for at least nine seats. We are trying to sort it out. We are offering Pappu Yadav Madhepura or Supaul seat.” If Pappu Yadav is able to get Purnea, Bima Bharati, an EBC Gangota, can be asked to contest from Bhagalpur against Ajay Mandal, sitting JD (U) MP and also a Gangota, insiders say.
Likely seats being discussed for Congress include Sasaram, Kishanganj, Katihar, Motihari, West Champaran, Muzaffarpur, Patna Saheb, Supaul, and Bhagalpur.
CPI (ML) may contest Karakat, Ara and Nalanda and CPI (Marxist) Khagaria. CPI has already announced its candidate from Begusarai seat.
