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Purnia, one of the 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar, has become a hot seat where the 'Pappu' factor is worrying both Janata Dal (United) and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) ahead of the second phase of the general election.
Elections in Purnia will take place in Phase 2 on April 26. The constituency comprises six Legislative Assembly segments: Kasba, Banmankhi, Rupauli, Dhamdaha, Purnia, and Korha. Janata Dal (United) has fielded two-time incumbent sitting MP Santosh Kumar from the seat as part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). While there was speculation that the INDIA bloc would field Pappu Yadav from Purnia after he joined the Congress recently, the seat went to RJD according to the seat agreement, and Bima Bharti was declared the candidate. After being denied a ticket from Purnia, Pappu decided to contest independently. Pappu had represented Purnia three times between 1991 and 2004. In the 2019 general elections at Purnia seat, Santosh Kumar got 6,32,924 votes on the JD(U) ticket, while Congress candidate Uday Singh, alias Pappu Singh, got 3,69,463 votes. Earlier, amid the drama on the Purnia seat, Pappu Yadav asked RJD chief Lalu Yadav, "What kind of enmity this was against him." Yadav told ANI that he has waited and postponed his nomination, thinking Lalu Yadav would bless him as a son, but they (RJD) went against him. "No one can challenge the people of Purnea. What kind of enmity is this against Pappu Yadav against whom you (Lalu Yadav) are fighting? I have asked for just one seat and said if you're having a problem with Congress, I'll join you but allow me to contest from Purnea. You have taken Supaul, Purnea, Madhepura, and Araria and left no place for Congress to field Pappu Yadav. 'Arthi Uthegi Purnea Se Aur Liptegi Congress Ke Jhande Me'. For them, Narendra Modi is also good, only Pappu Yadav is bad," he said. The Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance), the opposition coalition in Bihar, including Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Congress, and Left parties, recently announced that the RJD, its largest constituent, will contest 26 out of the state's 40 Lok Sabha seats, including Purnia, in the upcoming elections. Bihar will see polling in seven phases. The first phase of polling was concluded on April 19. The second phase is on April 26, the third phase on May 7, the fourth phase on May 13, the fifth phase on May 20, the sixth phase on May 25, and the seventh phase on June 1. (ANI)
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