Political discourses in Bihar have taken a heated turn over the Purnia constituency post the breakup of JD(U) from the opposition coalition. While candidate nominations for the first phase of voting are underway, India Block struggles to resolve disputes over multiple seats. Among these is the crucial Purnia seat, which has become a bone of contention between the Congress and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD).
Recently merged with the Congress, Pappu Yadav has adamantly declared he would leave the world but not abandon Purnia, vowing to contest exclusively from there. Concurrently, JDU's MLA from Rupauli in the same district, Bima Bharti, after joining RJD, has immediately staked her claim to this seat. The underlying question remains - why is Pappu Yadav so steadfast about Purnia, and why is RJD disinclined to cede it to Congress?
Why is Pappu Yadav so insistent on the Purnia seat?
Pappu Yadav's unyielding stance to contest only from Purnia is rooted in his own preparations, impressive election record, and strategic equations. His victory trail in Purnia is unbeaten, with successive wins from 1991 until 2004 either as an independent or representing various parties such as the Samajwadi Party and RJD. However, his mother, Shanti Priya, did face defeat in the 2009 general elections from Purnia. In 2014, RJD nominated Pappu for the Madhepura seat. That year, with the BJP and JDU competing separately, Pappu triumphed over JDU's heavyweight Sharad Yadav but failed to retain Madhepura in 2019.
In an interview with a news outlet, Pappu reminisced how Purnia never defeated him in elections. After 20 years (post-2004), the people of Purnia embraced him as their own. He highlighted that Purnia never indulged in caste politics, unlike Madhepura's Yadavs, who preferred Lalu Yadav over him. Pappu candidly spoke about being strategically defeated in a region where he served every household. He emphasized that Madhepura doesn't align with his ideologies or methods. His statement reflects the sting of defeats in 2019 and 2020.
The calculus behind Pappu's stance echoes the 2019 election outcomes
Pappu Yadav's current stance is influenced by the 2019 election arithmetic. Representing NDA, JDU fielded Dineshchandra Yadav, with Pappu Yadav from his Jan Adhikar Party and Sharad Yadav from RJD in the fray. Dineshchandra garnered 6,24,334 votes, whereas Sharad Yadav and Pappu Yadav received 3,22,807 and 97,631 votes respectively. Even combining the votes for RJD and Pappu wouldn't exceed 4,20,000, falling two lakh short of the JDU candidate's tally.
Pappu's rhetoric against Madhepura's Yadav chieftains and his decision to distance himself, highlight the need for an electoral repositioning. He candidly states, 'I cannot compete against my people nor react to them. The only way was to silently depart. Contesting from Purnia is my sole option; elsewhere would be suicidal.' This stance is linked to previous election results and the vote count.
The 'Pranam Purnia' campaign, initiated by Pappu Yadav, also signifies his dedicated groundwork. His supporters claim that nearly six lakh families have been connected through this outreach.
Why RJD is unwilling to release the Purnia seat to Congress
The reluctance of RJD to hand over the Purnia seat to Congress raises questions. RJD had granted Pappu a ticket in 2014, but for Madhepura. Estimates suggest that Madhepura's Yadav and Muslim populations alone approximate five lakh - considered RJD's base voters.
Purnia's demographics include influential Yadav and Muslim communities, as well as a significant presence of Dalits and OBCs such as the Kushwahas and a substantial number of upper-caste voters. RJD hopes that fielding Bima Bharti could garner support not only from its base voters, Muslims and Yadavs, but also attract Dalit voters, potentially increasing the odds of victory.
