Another independent candidate has made a mark in Purnia, following the footsteps of Pappu Yadav. In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Rajesh Ranjan, also known as Pappu Yadav, won the Purnia Lok Sabha seat as an independent candidate, defeating JDU’s two-time MP Santosh Kushwaha and RJD’s Bima Bharti. His election symbol was the scissors.
Now, in the Rupauli Assembly by-election, another independent candidate, Shankar Singh, has emerged victorious with the scissors symbol.
Also Read Story
Victory Details
Shankar Singh defeated his closest rival, JDU’s Kaladhar Prasad Mandal, by 8,246 votes. Shankar Singh received 68,070 votes, Kaladhar Prasad Mandal got 59,824 votes, and Bima Bharti secured 30,619 votes. The sitting MLA and RJD candidate, Bima Bharti, who has represented this seat since 2000, finished in third place.
The Rupauli seat became vacant after JDU MLA Bima Bharti resigned to contest the Purnia Lok Sabha seat on an RJD ticket, where she lost.
Who is Shankar Singh?
Shankar Singh has been contesting elections from Rupauli since 2000. He first won the Rupauli Assembly seat in February 2005 on an LJP ticket. However, he lost in the November 2005 election.
In the 2010 Assembly elections, Shankar Singh was an RJD-supported LJP candidate and finished second. In 2015, after not getting a party ticket, he ran as an independent and finished third.
In the 2020 Bihar Assembly elections, LJP fielded him again, and he finished second with 44,994 votes.
Just before the Rupali Assembly by-election, Shankar Singh resigned from the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) and contested as an independent.
Shankar Singh’s wife, Pratima Singh, is currently a Zila Parishad member and has previously served as the Purnia’s Zila Parishad Chairman.
Get involved in bringing the ground realities of Seemanchal. Click the "Support Us" button to join our membership.
