New Delhi: The Congress party Bihar chief Akhilesh Prasad Singh is not seemingly all pleased with the induction of Jan Adhikar Party (JAP) chief Pappu Yadav into the grand old party.
Sources say the national leadership’s deft move has however created fissures in the state unit.
Pappu Yadav was welcomed into the Congress fold by the party’s national spokesperson Pawan Khera and other leaders on Wednesday, however, state President Akhilesh Prasad Singh was conspicuous by his absence, thus giving credence to the reports of differences and rift within the state unit over the induction of 'Bahubali'-turned politician.
Top sources in the Bihar Congress reveal that the decision to induct Pappu Yadav was taken by the high command, overruling the state leadership.
Akhilesh Prasad Singh was reportedly disinclined towards allying with tainted faces and those with a criminal past and he also conveyed his displeasure to the party high command, when his opinion was sought on the likely deal with the JAP.
Since he was appointed Bihar unit President in December 2022, Akhilesh Prasad Singh has infused fresh energy into the rank and file of the party, the result of which was visible in the party’s recent rallies and gatherings.
Political watchers say that Pappu Yadav’s gushing praise for Rahul Gandhi has earned him a place in the grand old party. As per sources, Pappu Yadav is likely to be allotted a Lok Sabha ticket from Purnea constituency, where Uday Singh was a highly probable candidate till now.
Uday Singh had been an MP from the BJP but switched to the Congress in 2014. His family is closely related to former Bihar Chief Minister Satyendra Narayan Singh. His mother, sister, and brother-in-law had also been Congress MPs.
A section of Congress leaders in Bihar believe that Pappu Yadav’s induction into the party is unlikely to yield any substantial gains. They think it may backfire.
The Congress and the RJD will be taking on the BJP-JD-U electoral might in ensuing Lok Sabha polls and hoping to win seats in double digits but that looks highly unlikely, owing to similar face-off in 2019 polls.
By inducting the 'Bahubali'-turned-politician Pappu Yadav, Congress’s central leadership has not just created a divide and impacted morale in the party’s state unit but the move is also not to the liking of its ally, the RJD.
The public perception of RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav’s dislike for Pappu Yadav runs deep in Bihar. Reports suggest that Pappu Yadav was asked to make a courtesy call to Lalu Yadav on Tuesday and seek his blessings. It’s not known whether the RJD supremo has fully reconciled the differences he had with Pappu.
IANS with edits