Emerging from a background linked to crime, Yadav transitioned into politics in the 1990s. He has been elected to the Lok Sabha in 1991, 1996, 1999, 2004, 2014 and 2024, representing various constituencies in Bihar either independently or under different party banners including the Samajwadi Party, Lok Janshakti Party, and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), but his electoral success has been largely independent of party affiliations.
Yadav's entry into the criminal world was facilitated by his maternal uncle, Arjun Singh, a dominant figure in his district, who used to run a parallel government in the area. Yadav succeeded Singh in his operations and founded the youth organization Yuva Shakti, which allegedly engaged in criminal activities under his leadership.[9]
During 2010 Bihar Legislative Assembly election, Pappu Yadav along with Anil Yadav and Rampravesh Rai were expelled from the RJD for alleged anti-party activity. They were charged with working against the party's official nominee for Fatuha Assembly constituency, Ramanand Yadav.
Pappu Yadav defeated JD(U)'S Sharad Yadav and become a MP for the fifth time.[11] His wife, Ranjeet Ranjan was also elected from Supaul from Congress. Pappu Yadav became one of the 'best performing' MPs from Bihar in 2015 for his attendance and participation in debates.[12]
2015 Bihar election
On 7 May 2015, the RJD expelled him due to anti-party activities, after which he founded a new party Jan Adhikar Party (Loktantrik).[13]
Pappu Yadav suffered a defeat in 2019 when he contested from his own party from Madhepura constituency but came third behind Dinesh Chandra Yadav and Sharad Yadav. His wife lost her seat to Dileshwar Kamait after contesting from Congress.[21]
Pappu Yadav, who contested the Purnia Lok Sabha seat in Bihar as an independent candidate, won the seat by a margin of over 23,000 votes. He defeated JDU candidate Santosh Kushwaha and RJD candidate Bima Bharti.[23][24]
Positions held
Pappu Yadav was elected as MP, four times from the Purnia and twice from Madhepura constituency.
Yadav was allegedly involved in aiding Kim Davy, the prime accused in the Purulia arms drop case, in evading Indian authorities in 1995 during his tenure as an independent MP.[25]
In 2008, Pappu Yadav was convicted by a special court in Ajit Sarkar murder case of 1998 and sentenced to life imprisonment.[10] He was involved in various controversies while in imprisonment, like holding audiences and having unrestricted access to cellphones. He was acquitted in 2013 by the Patna High Court. Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed an appeal challenging his arrest in the Supreme Court.[26][27]
In his autobiography Drohkaal ka Pathik, released in November 2013, Pappu Yadav has alleged that three MPs of Indian Federal Democratic Party got money from the then finance ministerYashwant Sinha, to join the NDA in 2001. He has also claimed that during the July 2008 trust vote, both the Congress and BJP had offered "Rs 40 crore each" to MPs for their support.[28]
In 2015 he was once again in controversy after being reported to have allegedly threatened to hit a Jet Airways airhostess with slippers.[29]
In June 2020, Pappu Yadav and his supporters defaced advertisements and billboards of Chinese companies on the streets of Patna, after the Galwan clash.[30]
In May 2021, Pappu Yadav was arrested in a 32 year old kidnapping case and for flouting COVID-19 norms. Pappu Yadav has alleged political vendetta as he was raising questions against government expenditures in ambulance management during COVID-19.[31]
As per 2019 election affidavit, Pappu Yadav has 31 pending cases against him.[32] This number shot up to 41 in 2024.
On 12 April 2023, he was convicted under Section 147 and 353 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) a special MP/MLA court in Patna. On 24 November 2023, he was convicted under IPC Section 414 by the same court. Yadav has filed an appeal for both the cases.[33]