Patna: In a significant political development ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections, Shishir Kumar, son of Patna Mayor Sita Sahu, has returned to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Kumar was formally inducted back into the party on Saturday in the presence of BJP’s Bihar in-charge and Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, along with several senior leaders and party workers.
Shishir Kumar had rebelled against the BJP after being denied a ticket from the Patna Sahib Assembly seat, a move that had unsettled local party dynamics. He filed his nomination papers as an independent candidate, complicating the BJP’s prospects in the high-profile constituency.
Patna Sahib, traditionally a BJP stronghold, became the centre of controversy after the party denied a ticket to Assembly Speaker Nand Kishore Yadav and instead fielded Ratnesh Kushwaha. Shishir Kumar’s independent candidature was seen as a potential spoiler for the BJP, given his strong following among the party’s local cadre and his image as an energetic young leader.
However, after a reported intervention by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the situation was defused. Following the meeting, Kumar withdrew his nomination and reaffirmed his loyalty to the BJP.
Party leaders welcomed his return, calling it a “homecoming” that would strengthen the BJP’s position in Patna Sahib. With his re-entry, the BJP hopes to consolidate its voter base and avoid any split in its support within the capital’s politically influential circles.
