Supaul Lok Sabha seat in Bihar expected to witness a three-cornered contest

On Saturday, Congress president Rahul Gandhi addressed an election rally in Supaul in favour of Ranjeet Ranjan.

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SUPAUL: One of the key political constituencies in Bihar, Supaul is expected to witness a three-cornered fight this time around. Congress` Ranjeet Ranjan, sitting MP from Supaul, is pitted against Dinesh Chandra Yadav, former MP and contesting as an Independent, while Dileshwar Kamat is in the fray on JDU ticket.

Yadav seems to be also garnering the support of RJD cadres, who are irked over the fact that Ranjan`s husband Pappu Yadav is contesting against RJD`s Sharad Yadav in the neighbouring Madhepura Lok Sabha seat. Pappu Yadav is contesting on the ticket of his own political outfit - Jan Adhikar Party (JAP). 

Talking to ANI, Dinesh Chandra Yadav said: "It is very crucial for Supaul district that a deserving candidate wins and works for the area`s development. Ranjeet Ranjan has won two times from here. People loved her and believed in her words but in return, she did nothing for the constituency."

"Her husband Pappu Yadav is contesting against grand alliance candidate Sharad Yadav, which is not correct. We requested him not to contest but he is adamant to contest the election," he said. 

Ranjan, however, downplayed the electoral challenge being presented by Yadav and asserted that she would emerge victorious in the election."It is not a triangular fight. My fight is only with NDA candidate Dileshwar Kamat. I am very positive about my win," she said.

On Saturday, Congress president Rahul Gandhi addressed an election rally in Supaul in favour of Ranjan. However, Tejashwi Yadav, leader of RJD, a key constituent of the grand alliance, did not share the dais with Gandhi.

It is worth mentioning that Ranjan and Pappu Yadav were the only husband and wife duo to win the Lok Sabha polls in 2014. Pappu, who fought the poll on RJD ticket, defeated Sharad Yadav by more than 56,000 votes in Madhepura seat. Ranjeet had defeated Kamat in Supaul by over 60,000 votes.

In Bihar, 40 Lok Sabha seats are at stake. During the first and second phase of polling held on April 11 and 18 respectively, four and five seats went to polls respectively. The remaining 31 seats will go to polls in coming five phases, the last one to be held on May 19. Supaul and Madhepura seats will go to polls on April 23. The counting of votes will take place on May 23.