Patna: Controversial former MP Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav today (Sep 21, 2004) joined Bihar's ruling RJD (Rashtriya Janata Dal) and was promptly rewarded with a party ticket by its president and Railway Minister Laloo Prasad a day after he quit Ramvilas Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party (LJP).

Pappu Yadav, who secured a regular bail from the Patna High Court earlier today in connection with the killing of the CPM (Communist Party-Marxist) MLA Ajit Sarkar at Purnea in 1998, told reporters at the high-security Beur jail in Patna "he had joined the RJD".

The former MP had yesterday resigned from the primary membership of the LJP of Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertiliser and Laloo's bete noire Paswan alleging that the party lacked "inner democracy".

Sources close to Laloo Prasad, who along with his family members, including Chief Minister wife Rabri Devi is currently on a pilgrimage tour of south India, told that the RJD chief had allotted his party symbol to Pappu Yadav to contest from Madhepura, the seat which was vacated by him to retain Chapra.

Laloo had defeated his nearest JDU (Janata Dal United) rival Sharad Yadav from the seat by a margin of over 60,000 votes.

Thanking RJD supremo for rewarding him with a ticket, Pappu Yadav expressed confidence that he would emerge victorious from the seat. Pappu Yadav had lost the last Lok Sabha poll from Purnea to BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) candidate by a margin of around 10,000 votes. His wife Ranjita Ranjan, however, scored victory from the adjoining Saharsa Lok Sabha constituency.