Sweet notes, tough numbers: can star candidates swing Bihar elections?

Patna: Lending a whiff of glamour to the dust and grime of electoral politics in Bihar, several folk singers, some of them now in the film industry, seem poised to give the upcoming assembly polls a shot.

While Maithili Thakur, popular folk singer from Bihar, has already expressed her willingness to contest the state polls after meeting senior BJP leaders, Jan Suraaj Party has fielded Bhojpuri singer Ritesh Ranjan Pandey as its candidate from Kargahar seat.

“It would be a different journey for me and I am ready for it,” 25-year-old Thakur recently told media persons after meeting senior BJP leaders, including Vinod Tawde and Union minister Nityanand Rai.

In the run-up to the state assembly polls, there is a lot of buzz around Bhojpuri superstar Pawan Singh, a native of Ara in Bhojpur district, entering the poll fray.

Speculations are rife that Singh may contest the polls on a BJP ticket from one of the seven assembly seats of Bhojpur district, preferably from the Ara or Barhara seats.

Singh, who had unsuccessfully contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections as an Independent from the Karakat seat, recently met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) chief and Rajya Sabha member Upendra Kushwaha.

The Karakat seat went to Raja Ram Kushwaha of CPI(ML) Liberation in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

In the 2020 assembly elections, the NDA could win only two out of 22 seats in the Shahabad region, which comprises Bhojpur, Buxar, Rohtas and Kaimur districts.

Commenting on Jan Suraaj Party’s decision to field him from the Kargahar assembly seat, Pandey told PTI, “I am extremely thankful to our leader Prashant Kishor ji for giving me this opportunity. I am a son of this soil...Since I am contesting from the area which is my birthplace, I am sure people will support me and ensure my victory”.

Pandey said he is an artiste, keeps coming to Kargahar regularly and wants to work for the people of the area.

Another popular Bhojpuri singer Shilpi Raj recently met Union Minister and chief of the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) Chirag Paswan, in Delhi.

The party shared photographs of her meeting with Paswan on its X handle. Party sources said Raj may be fielded in the upcoming assembly polls.

Despite repeated attempts, she could not be contacted for her comments.

Speaking to PTI, popular Bhojpuri singer Alok Kumar, who recently joined the Jan Suraaj Party, said, "I joined the party because of Prashant Kishor ji. He is the person who has changed the definition of politics…he has a vision for Bihar and the people of the state. However, let me make it very clear that I joined Jan Suraaj not to contest the upcoming assembly polls. If I am asked to contest polls by the party, I will think over this." He also urged artistes to join politics as there is "nothing wrong at all".

Bhojpuri actor and singer-turned-BJP MP Manoj Tiwari, who hails from the state's Atarwalia village in Kaimur district and has made Delhi his political 'karmabhoomi' (workplace), told PTI, “Bhojpuri stars are doing well in national politics. I hope that this time, more folk singers will win in the assembly polls in Bihar."

Tiwary, one of the leading actors in the Bhojpuri genre of the Indian film industry, is the BJP’s Lok Sabha MP from North East Delhi.

“I must say that folk singers are more connected to the masses, and they know the pulse of the people. Therefore, they must join politics. For our Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji, politics is the way to serve the people. It is for the social cause. Therefore, inspired by Modi ji’s vision and principles, folk singers are joining politics in Bihar," Tiwary said.

Vinay Bihari, who is the BJP MLA from Lauriya assembly seat in West Champaran, is the only Bhojpuri singer in the outgoing Bihar assembly.

The assembly elections in Bihar will be held in two phases on November 6 and 11, while the counting of votes will be done on November 14.