File Photo of Pappu Yadav
Pappu Yadav has met a goal he appeared to have set for himself over the last few months - he has been thrown out by his party, the Rashtriya Janata Dal or RJD, headed by Lalu Yadav.
Pappu, 48, a senior RJD leader and five-time member of Parliament, had been delivering a high hit rate for run-ins with Lalu, the 67-year-old regional powerhouse. When Lalu announced one of his two sons (he was not more specific) would succeed him as the head of the party, Pappu retaliated that he saw himself in that position someday. Lalu was quick to dispel that notion. "If anyone has a problem with this idea (of a son as his successor), he or she is free to leave the party," he announced.
"I have been thrown out just because I stood up against Lalu's efforts to promote his sons, which was his way of ensuring his political legacy would not eventually go to a leader like me who works for the benefit of the people," said Pappu, who has been expelled for six years for "anti-party activities." His wife is a member of the Congress.
But sources close to Pappu said last month, he met with the PM at his chamber in Parliament, interpreted as a sign of an impending crossover to the BJP, which could benefit from his influence in the Koshi region among the Yadav community.
Pappu (real name Rajesh Ranjan) had also voiced his veto of Lalu's announcement to join a new alliance of six parties, all members of the former Janata Parivar. Pappu says he cannot accept working with Nitish Kumar, currently the Chief Minister of Bihar and head of the Janata Dal United, which, for years, was the RJD's main political rival.
In 2008, Pappu was found guilty by a Bihar court of murdering a Left leader, but was acquitted in 2013 by a higher court.