Pappu Yadav Joins INDIA Bloc, Merges Outfit with Congress | All You Need To Know About 'Bihar's Bahubali'

Ahead of the Lok Sabha Elections, Jan Adhikar Party leader and former Bihar MP Pappu Yadav on Wednesday entered the INDIA bloc after he joined forces with Congress and merged his outfit with the grand old party.

Yadav’s wife Ranjeet Ranjan was already a Rajya Sabha MP from Congress and is known for influencing the Seemanchal area of the eastern state.

“The honour that the entire Congress family has given is enough for us. Both Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra have given us a lot of love. “If anyone has won the hearts of people in India, it is Rahul Gandhi and people love him. He has also raised the concerns of OBCs by raising the issue of holding a caste census,” Yadav said.

Earlier, Pappu Yadav held discussions with Lalu and Tejashwi regarding the upcoming polls. He is likely to contest the elections from Purnia and has been persistently asserting his claim over this seat.

Who is Pappu Yadav?

Rajesh Ranjan, popularly known as Pappu Yadav, is a prominent politician from Bihar who made headlines for his efforts to assist the common people during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Often referred to as “Bihar’s Bahubali” due to his strong influence and involvement in controversies, Yadav has served as an MP in the Lok Sabha and as an MLA multiple times.

Pappu Yadav began his political career in the 1980s with the Janata Dal. Despite not receiving a ticket from the party, he won as an independent candidate, due to his massive popularity in the region.

He has been associated with various political parties like the RJD and JD(U), and also lead his own party, the Jan Adhikar Party (JAP), which he merged with the Congress today.

However, Yadav’s political journey has also been marred by numerous controversies and he faced serious criminal allegations, including murder and kidnapping.

In 1998, Yadav was accused of the murder of CPIM leader Ajit Sarkar and was subsequently arrested in 1999. During his time in Beur Jail, rumours of favouritism also emerged leading to his transfer to Tihar Jail.

In February 2008, a special CBI court found Pappu Yadav and two others guilty of the CPIM leader’s murder. However, in May 2013, the Patna High Court ordered his release due to insufficient evidence.