Bihar election results: Singer Maithili Thakur leads in Alinagar constituency
What's the story
Folk singer Maithili Thakur is comfortably leading in the Alinagar constituency of Bihar's assembly elections. The 25-year-old Thakur, who joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) just a month before the polls, is ahead with over 4,000 votes. She is followed by Rashtriya Janata Dal's (RJD) Binod Mishra and Biplaw Kumar Choudhary of the Jan Suraaj Party.
Political journey
Thakur's political journey and singing career
Thakur's entry into politics is a major shift from her career as a folk and devotional singer. She was born in Benipatti, Madhubani district, and has sung in Maithili, Hindi, and Bhojpuri languages. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had praised her earlier this year for a devotional song on Maa Shabri. Her candidacy is seen as an attempt by the BJP to expand its reach in north Bihar beyond traditional strongholds.
Vision
Thakur's vision for Bihar
Thakur has often spoken about her desire to serve Bihar and carry forward its culture. She had said that she wants to "serve Bihar" through politics, adding that she didn't want to go abroad because of her commitment. "I want to carry forward the culture of my region, and if politics gives me this opportunity, nothing would be more important to me," she had said.
Electoral history
Alinagar constituency's election history
The Alinagar constituency has been a closely contested seat in recent elections. In the 2020 elections, Mishri Lal Yadav of the Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) won by a narrow margin against RJD's Binod Mishra. However, RJD's Abdul Bari Siddiqui had won decisively in 2015 with over 13,000 votes. The outcome of this election will be crucial for both BJP and RJD as they seek to consolidate their positions in Bihar politics.