‘Genius Rahul Gandhi Turned Down PM Post’: Pappu Yadav Claims, Then Calls Him & Tejashwi ‘Arrogant Yuvraj’
MP Pappu Yadav praised Rahul Gandhi as a "genius" who rejected the PM post offered by Manmohan Singh. However, Yadav criticised "arrogant Yuvrajs," seemingly referring to Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav
Independent MP from Purnia, Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav, on Monday delivered remarks in veiled jibes at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav, branding them as “arrogant Yuvrajs” when asked about being stopped by security personnel from boarding a protest truck during a recent INDIA bloc protest in Patna. He also claimed that he claimed that Rahul Gandhi rejected the offer to become Prime Minister.
‘Rahul Gandhi Rejected PM Post Offered by Manmohan Singh’: Pappu Yadav
Speaking to news agency ANI during a podcast, Yadav claimed that former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had offered the PM post to Rahul Gandhi, which the latter declined. Praising Gandhi as a “Harvard-educated genius”, Yadav said, “When Manmohan Singh asked him to become PM, he said ‘never’. A man who walked 10,000 km barefoot, who has the courage to speak the truth, and gives up the PM’s chair – is that person a fool (pappu)?”
He made the remarks slamming the BJP for branding Rahul Gandhi as 'pappu' in the 2014 Lok Sabha election using social media.
#WATCH | Independent MP from Purnia, Pappu Yadav, says, "Rahul Gandhi rejected the post of the Prime Minister, which was offered by former PM Manmohan Singh..."
— ANI (@ANI) July 21, 2025
Watch Full Episode Here: https://t.co/6D6JaD6ipU pic.twitter.com/aTI9kIFNbe
Pappu Yadav Refuses to Share Stage With ‘Arrogant Yuvraj’
However, he made it clear he would no longer share a platform with what he called “arrogant Yuvrajs.” Speaking to ANI, he said, “I will not share the stage in my entire life with the Yuvraj of any party who is arrogant.” When asked who he meant by “Yuvraj,” he explained, “Whosoever has the backup of family background and is arrogant about it. Whosoever takes forward their political career with father’s legacy… any party leader who doesn’t know about the struggle.”
Yadav’s remarks came days after a controversy erupted during the opposition INDIA bloc’s protest in Bihar, where he was seen being stopped by security personnel from boarding a protest truck. Denying that he was intentionally snubbed, he said, “The public pushed me towards the stage. I fell while stepping onto it. I was not stopped by anyone deliberately.”
The incident occurred during a protest rally against the Election Commission’s decision to conduct a special revision of the electoral rolls in Bihar ahead of the assembly elections. Pappu Yadav and Congress leader Kanhaiya Kumar, the NSUI national in-charge, were both seen being stopped from boarding a van carrying Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav. Videos of the moment went viral, fuelling speculation about underlying tensions within the opposition alliance.
Despite the snub, Yadav maintained his admiration for Rahul Gandhi, stating, “Our leader Rahul Gandhi was there… then there was no need for me to be present,” adding that the whole matter was misrepresented.
(With inputs from ANI)
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