Lok Sabha Election 2024: Election battle became interesting due to Pappu Yadav’s persistence in Purnia

Arun Kumar from Purnia
Lok Sabha Election 2024 Wheat crop is ready in the fields, while corn is still late in being ready. Farmers are both happy and worried after seeing the wheat crop. It is a matter of happiness that this time the crop has been fine. The worry is that the rats might eat up all the grains in the fields before they reach the barn. Amidst this worry, farmers are working hard day and night. Not a minute of free time. Apart from farmers, another group is worried. This is a group of leaders and candidates. While farmers are worried about their crops, they also vote for leaders and candidates.

In such a situation, leaders and candidates have united heaven and earth. Farmers are sweating in the fields and leaders and candidates are sweating in the election fields. It is a coincidence that like the farmers, this is also the time to harvest the political crop that the leaders have sown. The only difference is that the wheat crop is harvested in five months and the political crop is harvested in five years. The crop of politics is blooming like wheat in Purnia, but how will it be converted into votes? This question is making every candidate uneasy. In the scorching heat of Chait and the easterly wind, the lips of the candidates are as dry as those of the farmers.

Just listen now, don’t believe it
On both sides of the road from Purnia to Rupauli, one’s eyes wander towards the ripe wheat ears and the blooming corn crops standing tall in the fields. Farmers are waiting for the westerly wind to blow. Rosemary grows well when there is less moisture in the garden. Here, as the voting date is approaching, the candidates, sensing the direction of the wind, are working hard to create an environment as per their wish. At times, the galloping vehicles of leaders with flags on the road give the feel of an election. At a tea shop in Mirganj, we ask – ‘It doesn’t seem like an election here, neither is there any banner nor any flag anywhere.’

By the time the question was completed, the shopkeeper was standing with a cup of tea and answered – ‘How will it be?’ Now the trend of elections has changed. Now votes are cast through messages, not through flags and banners. Further ahead, we meet farmer Ashok Singh standing on the ridge of his field near Dhamdaha Ghat. What is the condition of elections here? In response to this Ashok says – ‘The wind has become. Just need to smell it. One who knows the direction of the wind will not be deceived. In the journey of about 100 kilometers from Purnia to Rupauli, be it Kazha or Parora, Mirganj or Dhamdaha or Bhawanipur or Rupauli. The air is the same, but the voters are not opening up. What is in the heart is not on the tongue and what is on the tongue is not in the heart. Something inside and something outside. Dinesh Mandal of Bhawanipur says that everything here turns upside down in one night. Just listen now, don’t believe it.

Leave aside the election issue, who fulfills it?
When the conversation progressed, he asked what the election issue was. Leave the issue aside. Who cares? Everyone makes promises but who fulfills them? While saying this, the voice of Rupauli’s Sanjay Vishwas becomes a bit harsh. There is hustle and bustle at Rupauli Chowk also. Some people are reading newspapers in tea shops. When asked, one said – The fight here is all-out. Another said- It is difficult to say right now. Student teenagers say – This time we will vote only for those who do development.

2014 election results

Santosh Kumar	JDU	4,18,826
Uday Singh alias Pappu Singh	B J P	302157
Amarnath Tiwari	Congress	124344

Election battle became interesting due to Pappu Yadav’s persistence
Although a total of seven candidates are in the fray this time from Purnia Lok Sabha seat, but the main contest is between JDU candidate cum outgoing MP Santosh Kushwaha from NDA alliance, RJD candidate former MLA Bima Bharti from India alliance and independent candidate former MP Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav. It’s the middle. This time the election battle of Purnia has become interesting due to Pappu Yadav’s persistence in the election field. It is noteworthy that this seat is in the account of JDU in NDA and JDU has fielded Santosh Kumar Kushwaha from this seat for the third time.

Mr. Kushwaha, who has been winning elections from two consecutive terms (2014 and 2019), is preparing to score a hat-trick this time. Pappu Yadav wanted to become the Grand Alliance candidate from this seat, relying on RJD-Congress, but at the last moment, RJD surprised everyone by fielding former MLA Bima Bharti. Bima Bharti, who comes from the extremely backward class, has recently joined RJD from JDU. She has been elected MLA from Rupauli assembly seat of Purnia Lok Sabha constituency five times and has also been a minister twice. Here, Pappu Yadav has returned to his old home after 25 years. Pappu Yadav became MP five times in his 50 years of political journey. Of these, he was MP from Purnia three times. Pappu Yadav entered the Lok Sabha for the first time in the tenth Lok Sabha elections in 1991. Won for the second time in 1996. Lost in 1998. Then a year later, in the 1999 Lok Sabha elections, Pappu Yadav hoisted the flag of victory.

2019 election results

Santosh Kumar	JDU	6,32,924
Uday Singh alias Pappu Singh	Congress	3,69,463

What is the election equation?
The key to electoral success in Purnia Lok Sabha seat largely depends on the ‘balance’ and ‘imbalance’ of M-Y (Muslim and Yadav) and extremely backward voters. According to political experts, M-Y has been playing a decisive role in the face-to-face fight. In the event of a triangular conflict, M-Y may be in a dilemma. While RJD has tried to make a dent in BJP’s core vote bank by fielding extremely backward classes, it has also created a big base for victory by associating extremely backward classes with M-Y.

But due to Pappu Yadav being in the election field on the basis of this vote bank, the electoral mathematics of the Grand Alliance seems to be complicated at the moment. Overall, in this electoral battle, on one hand, the Grand Alliance is trying to balance the M and Y equation through Congress for its victory, while on the other hand, the NDA is trying to balance the M and Y equation of Lalu Yadav with its core vote bank, along with the Mahadalits and extremists. He is busy trying to help the backward people. Pappu Yadav is working hard to win over the voters in his favor due to the old equation of M-Y and the new political polarization after nomination.

Danger of conflict in every party
More or less all parties and candidates are facing the threat of factionalism. Such people look different on the outside than on the inside. The body is towards the party and the mind is somewhere else. The reason is same. Some are unhappy with the party and some with the party system. There is maximum resentment among those leaders who were deprived of tickets this time. Although the top leaders are aware of this. Efforts are being made to correct it in time. Efforts are being made to convince the angry leaders.

Purnia Lok Sabha constituency

total voters	22,06,663
male voter	11,40,982
female voter	10,65,602
third gender	79

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