JD(U) Sitamarhi candidate withdraws, party fields BJP Bihar former minister Sunil Kumar Pintu

Sitamarhi, which was won by RLSP’s Ram Kumar Sharma in 2014, is seen as a traditional RJD seat. RJD’s Arjun Rai had won the seat in 2009, and the party’s Sitaram Yadav had won in 2004.

Sunil Kumar Pintu

The JD(U) on Wednesday announced former BJP leader and Bihar minister Sunil Kumar Pintu as the candidate from Sitamarhi Lok Sabha seat after the party’s original candidate, Dr Barun Kumar, withdrew his candidature, alleging “non-cooperation” from local-level NDA workers.

Pintu joined the JD(U) on Wednesday itself.

Asked why he left the BJP, Pintu, according to PTI, said he quit the saffron party for personal reasons and joined ally JD(U) which offered him ticket from Sitamarhi, the constituency he has “nursed for over one-and-a-half decade as MLA and minister”.

Dr Kumar, a surgeon without any experience in politics, told the media, “I was not getting desired support from the NDA cadre here. So I thought it was better to withdraw from the race.”

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He also cited professional commitment as a doctor for the decision.

A senior JD(U) leader, however, said, “Barun Kumar got the ticket because of his proximity to a bureaucrat, who is close to a senior JD(U) leader. Since the party cadre was ignored, Kumar did not get our support.”

JD(U) spokesperson Neeraj Kumar said, “We do not know the exact reason for Kumar’s withdrawal from the race. He may have done it over personal reasons. We have a good candidate in Pintu.”

Sitamarhi, which was won by RLSP’s Ram Kumar Sharma in 2014, is seen as a traditional RJD seat. RJD’s Arjun Rai had won the seat in 2009, and the party’s Sitaram Yadav had won in 2004.

The constituency goes to the polls on May 6.