Pappu Yadav keeps cards close to chest

New Delhi: In the season of possible political re-alignments in Bihar, Jan Adhikar Party (JAP) supremo and Lok Sabha MP from Madhepura Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav, is keeping his cards close to the chest saying he will go alone in the next Lok Sabha polls but is open to explore other options.

Pappu Yadav, who holds considerable influence in north Bihar, indicated that his preference will be a party that promises special status to the state, a promise made by the BJP only to backtrack later. In a freewheeling discussion with this newspaper on his political strategy, the MP from Madhepur said that he does not need the support of any party but will keep his doors open for a party that does justice to the people of Bihar who need special care.

Yadav’s Jan Adhikar Party last week observed a bandh in Bihar demanding special category status to the state. “My party had called a day-long Bihar bandh on July 7 to press for implementation of various demands that included special category status to Bihar, safety and security of women and providing quality education and employment for youths. Bihar was denied special status when the UPA was in power at the Centre for 10 years, of which Lalu Prasad was a part. I thank Nitish Kumar for raising the issue, but where was he when the special category status was accorded to other states during Atalji’s regime, in which he was a union minister", said the JAP supremo.

"I will not allow the Lok Sabha to run. It does not matter even if I am marshalled out from the House. I cannot compromise on twin issues of special category status and creation of employment opportunities for youths of Bihar", said Yadav. The Monsoon session of Parliament is set to begin on July 18. Let me make it very clear that both parties — BJP as well as Congress — are not interested in the betterment of Bihar and its people, he said adding that they are simply trying to mislead people by raising trivial issues before the 2019 polls.