Sitamarhi: JD(U) Nominates Devesh Chandra Thakur In His First Lok Sabha Election (image-Facebook/Devesh Chandra Thakur)
The Janata Dal (United) has nominated former chairman of Bihar Vidhan Parishad, Devesh Chandra Thakur, for the Sitamarhi Lok Sabha seat, his first time contesting the general elections.
The 71-year-old is pitted against RJD’s Arjun Roy (52) who lost the previous elections from the seat. While the latter won the seat in 2009 and counts on his five-year term to secure his win, Thakur enjoys an experience of 22 years in politics as MLC and minister. But most importantly, the JD(U) candidate has the backing of PM Modi and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
Furthermore, while Roy slammed Thakur for being a Brahmin who will serve the people with “folded hands,” Thakur has a decent support among the Dalit community because of Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) being an NDA ally. He also has significant support among the upper castes.
The constituency’s electoral win is expected to be determined by caste and religious politics. With about 20 sub-castes, the Vaishya community is reportedly upset with the JD(U) for dropping the sitting MP Pintu and Rama Devi, the incumbent MP from the neighbouring Sheohar.
Meanwhile, the NDA is in a bid to woo the Vaishya community while keeping the upper caste and EBC votes in balance. Notably, a candidate from the Yadav community has been elected over ten times in the constituency.
In the 2019 elections, JD(U)’s Sunil Kumar Pintu won the seat with a margin of over 2.5 lakh votes. Considered to be the birthplace of Mata Janaki or Sita, the Sitamarhi Lok Sabha seat has witnessed political stalwarts like Acharya JB Kripalani representing it in 1957.
While initially a Congress bastion, the Lok Sabha constituency soon turned into a hot seat osciallating between the JD(U) and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD).
The Sitamarhi Lok Sabha constituency comprises six Vidhan Sabhas including Bathnaha (SC), Parihar, Sursand, Bajpatti, Sitamarhi, and Runnisaidpur. Out of the six segments, three are represented by the BJP, while two are JD(U), and one is under the RJD. The constituency has a significant Muslim population (21.62%) and SC (11.86%).
The Sitamarhi Lok Sabha constituency will go to polls on May 20.
