NEW DELHI/PATNA : Controversial RJD MP Pappu Yadav, who opposed the tie-up with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, was today expelled from the party amid speculation that he may join hands with BJP ahead of Bihar Assembly elections.
“Pappu Yadav has been expelled from the party for six years for indulging in anti-party activities,” RJD Chief General Secretary Ramdeo Bhandari told PTI.
A five-time MP, Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav defeated JD(U) president Sharad Yadav in Madhepura in last general election and has been attacking RJD chief Lalu Prasad over the Janata Parivar merger. He had also targeted Prasad over his suggestion that his son will take over RJD’s reins.
“He (Pappu) was hobnobbing with BJP while our party and leader Lalu Prasad have fought the communal forces,” RJD MP Jay Prakash Narayan Yadav said.
A know detractor of Nitish Kumar, Pappu Yadav was also opposed to the removal of Jitan Ram Manjhi as Bihar Chief Minister.
He will be holding a rally in Madhepura, his constituency, next week. He could not be reached for comments but sources close to him said he will be in Delhi tomorrow.
Jay Prakash Narayan Yadav alleged that Pappu Yadav had been deliberately harming the party for some time by questioning its leadership. “He was hands in glove with BJP.”
Bhandari said the decision to expel Pappu Yadav was taken after core committee of the party under leadership of RJD president Lalu Prasad found the reply of the MP, who was issued a show cause notice last month, to be “inadequate”.
As his differences with Prasad grew, Pappu Yadav had met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and there is talk that he along Manjhi may be part of the BJP’s alliance to take on the formidable combine of Lalu Prasad and Nitish Kumar in the Assembly elections scheduled later this year.
Pappu Yadav has been in and out of Prasad’s party and enjoys considerable following in parts of Bihar.
He was one of the four RJD MPs in Lok Sabha and his wife Ranjeet Ranjan was elected on Congress ticket from the state.
Pappu Yadav had issued statements in favour of Manjhi when he was involved in bitter power tussle with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
RJD had issued show cause notice to Pappu Yadav for his alleged anti-party activities. Besides accusing Pappu Yadav of acting against policies of the RJD, the notice signed by Ramdeo Bhandari charged him with issuing statement against party chief Lalu Prasad.
The RJD has decided to support the Nitish Kumar government to safeguard Bihar from communal forces, “but you have been making appeal to party MLAs in favour of expelled JD(U) leader and former CM Jitan Ram Manjhi and even inducing legislators in his favour”, the notice said.
Yadav also allegedly used photo of Prasad without permission in the programmes of Yuva Shakti, an organisation set up by him, with which RJD has no links, it said.
“We received his reply on May 3. But, the reply instead of answering to specific questions raised to Pappu Yadav was full of self-praise by the MP,” Bhandari said.
He said the reply also raised accusing finger at party chief Lalu Prasad.
A core committee of the RJD reviewed the reply and decided to expel Pappu Yadav for six years, Bhandari said. (AGENCIES)
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