Smiling Meeting Between PM Modi and Pappu Yadav Sparks Speculation

Patna (Bihar): It is often said in politics that there are no permanent friends or enemies. A recent example of this was seen on Monday during the inauguration of Purnia Airport, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pappu Yadav, the independent MP from Purnia who aligns himself with Congress, were seen smiling and conversing on stage.

Following this, speculation on social media suggests that Pappu Yadav could join the NDA ahead of the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections. This speculation is rooted in Bihar’s political history. At one point, Pappu Yadav had attempted to form an alliance with the BJP and even met Prime Minister Narendra Modi twice to discuss the possibility. However, when the alliance did not materialize, Pappu aligned his party, Jan Adhikar Morcha, with other parties instead.

Attempts to Join BJP:
In 2014, when the BJP, under Narendra Modi, won a full majority in the Lok Sabha for the first time, Pappu Yadav won his seat on an RJD ticket. He believed he was second in command after Lalu Prasad Yadav and expected to lead the party in the future. However, Lalu handed over the party leadership to his sons. Frustrated, Pappu Yadav met Prime Minister Modi twice in 2015 to discuss issues concerning his constituency.

No Alliance Despite Meetings:
After the first meeting, Pappu praised Modi, but the RJD declared him anti-party and expelled him for six years. Seeking a new political direction, Pappu met the Prime Minister again on 13 August 2015, spending nearly half an hour discussing regional issues. Modi assured him of prompt action. Although some BJP factions favored an alliance with Pappu, his political image prevented it from happening.

Now, this cordial and smiling interaction between PM Modi and Pappu Yadav at Purnia Airport is fueling new political speculation ahead of the Bihar elections.