After being denied a ticket by the Congress, former MP Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav on Thursday filed his nomination papers from the Purnea Lok Sabha seat in Bihar as an independent candidate.
As per the seat-sharing arrangement for Bihar, the RJD, the Congress' senior ally in the state, will contest Purnea.
No Congress leader accompanied him when Yadav reached the office of the returning officer to file his nomination papers, riding on a motorcycle.
Moments before filing his nomination, the disgruntled Congress leader said, "I will be with the party till my last breath."
Talking to reporters after filing his nomination papers, Yadav said, "I have the support of Congress. I am contesting as an independent candidate' many people conspired to end my political career. The people of Purnea have always supported Pappu Yadav above caste and creed. I will strengthen the INDIA alliance ...and I resolve to make Rahul Gandhi stronger."
Yadav said he filed his nomination because "people in Purnea wanted me to contest".
"I will keep fighting for the welfare of the people of Purnea, Seemanchal and Bihar," Yadav said. Pappu Yadav had won the Purnea seat thrice in the 1990s. -- PTI