Patna, April 20 (Inditop) The widow of slain Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) legislator Ajit Sarkar, who is fighting the Lok Sabha polls from Purnia in Bihar, has urged the Election Commission to provide her adequate security against her husband’s alleged murderer and MP Pappu Yadav.
Madhavi Sarkar, contesting as a Communist Party of India-Marxist Leninist (CPI-ML) candidate, has told the poll panel that she feels threatened by Pappu Yadav, formerly of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD).
“I have told the Election Commission that a free Pappu Yadav is a serious threat to my life. Anything can happen to me. Even the local police are helpless,” Madhavi told IANS on telephone.
Madhavi’s husband, who was locked in a feud with Pappu Yadav over farm labourers, was shot dead with his driver Harendra Sharma and party worker Ashfaqur Rehman in Purnia, about 350 km from here, on June 14, 1998.
Pappu Yadav, elected to the Lok Sabha from Madhepura in 2004, was held guilty of Sarkar’s murder and sentenced to life imprisonment by a lower court last year. The Patna High Court granted him bail two months ago.
He is now busy campaigning in the constituency for his mother Shanti Priya Devi, an independent candidate who enjoys Congress support.
“Pappu Yadav is posing a serious threat to peace in Purnia. Free, fair and peaceful polling is not possible unless he is put behind bars,” said Madhavi.
Earlier this month, the Patna High Court rejected Pappu Yadav’s plea to suspend his conviction in the murder case so that he could contest the Lok Sabha election.
After he was barred from contesting, Pappu Yadav revolted against the Lalu Prasad-Ram Vilas Paswan alliance and vowed to campaign for the Congress. He was expelled from RJD earlier this month.
His wife Ranjita Ranjan, a Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) MP, has also defected to the Congress to contest from Supaul constituency.
rounak