Pappu Yadav to contest against Sharad Yadav

Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav, the controversial former MP who was last year acquitted in the murder of a CPI-M leader, Saturday said he will contest the Lok Sabha election as an independent candidate against JD-U chief Sharad Yadav.

Pappu Yadav said he will contest from two constituencies in Bihar.

"I will contest the Lok Sabha polls as an independent from Madhepura and Purnia seats," he told media persons.

Janata Dal-United president Sharad Yadav, who won the 2009 Lok Sabha polls from Madhepura, said he will contest from the seat again.

"There is no question of searching for any other constituency. I will seek re-election from Madhepura as it is my traditional seat," Sharad Yadav told media persons, reacting to speculations that he will not contest from the seat.

Pappu Yadav said he will contest against Sharad Yadav from Madhepura, andBharatiya Janata Party's Uday Singh in Purnia.

"This time people are with me and they will support me to defeat both the JD-U and BJP in Lok Sabha polls," he claimed.

Pappu Yadav won thrice from Purnia - 1991, 1996 and 1999 - and won the 2004 Madhepura bypolls.

His wife and former MP Ranjita Ranjan is likely to contest on a Congress ticket, sources said.

Last year, citing lack of evidence, the Patna High Court acquitted Yadav in a case related to the killing Communist Party of India-Marxist leader Ajit Sarkar in May 1998.