Bihar is currently in the spotlight of early assembly elections for 2025, not only due to a fierce contest between the ruling alliance and the opposition, but also due to the unexpected entry of singer-turned-politician Maithili Thakur as a BJP candidate from Alinagar. As of early trend counts, she is performing strongest, while the Mahagathbandhan is struggling to follow suit in lead counts. The BJP is so strong that at one point, they were ahead of their JD(U) ally during early counts in some constituencies.
Maithili Thakur’s Candidacy
Maithili Thakur, the popular folk/classical singer, broke the news early by leading all together of BJP candidates in early trend counts from the Alinagar assembly seat. Thakur’s candidacy was introduced as part of the BJP’s larger strategy of bringing fresh faces and cultural icons into politics, as a limited candidate pool for their campaign team. Middlesex Basin areas such as Mithila are often ruled by cultural identity.
The early trend of her lead adds a further narrative to the story: which celebrity candidate can connect with voters and possibly lead to seats for the BJP?
Implications for the BJP and RJD
For the BJP, if Maithili Thakur achieves victory, to support a narrative of the party attracting new talent and tapping into cultural sentiment. It will also bolster the BJP’s position as a dominant force in the NDA.
For the RJD and Mahagathbandhan: Early trends indicate they are already under duress. RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav is leading in his seat (Raghopur), but wider trends show that the alliance they are lagging.
Caution and Caveat
While leads can inspire a sense of optimism, leads do not lock outcomes. There are a number of constituencies yet to fill out. Also, depending on celebrity candidates like Thakur, it can be advantageous or disastrous if the ground‐level organisation of the party is not functioning. Moreover, the RJD has notched some strong pockets in the state that can be revealed later in the counts. The early count doesn’t mean the BJP has drawn the good fortune card. Performance, turnout and last-minute local factors can prove decisive in client change over a duration of the day.
As counting proceeds further into the day, all eyes will be fixed on
- Whether the NDA coalesce early leads into a comfortable majority vote?
- Does Thakur receive the victory discourse if she wins?
- Does this lead to an emerging symbolically relevant event for the party?
But then later, the biggest takeaway factor will be whether these days contribute to ongoing support for the NDA going forward from here…
