Patna, May 7 (IANS): The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) on Thursday expelled its MP Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav for six years for anti-party activities.

RJD state president Ramchandra Purve said: "Pappu Yadav was expelled after the party last month served a show-cause notice to him for his anti-party activities."

According to party leaders, RJD president Lalu Prasad was upset with Pappu Yadav for his repeated statements that were not only against the party but challenged the party chief's politics.

In February, Pappu Yadav said he would succeed Lalu Prasad as the RJD chief.

He has already opposed the RJD chief's announcement of the likely merger of the six parties of the erstwhile Janata Parivar.

In the last few weeks, Pappu Yadav met former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi and appealed to Lalu Prasad and Janata Dal-United leader and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to sink their "pride and ego" and invite Manjhi to the newly formed Janata Parivar.

Pappu Yadav is the Lok Sabha member from Madhepura parliamentary constituency and his wife Ranjit Ranjan is the Congress MP from Supaul district in Bihar.

In 2013, the Patna High Court acquitted Yadav for the murder of Communist Party of India-Marxist leader Ajit Sarkar in May 1998 due to lack of evidence.