Bihar polls: Will ‘star’ power favour the political fortunes of parties? | India News
NEW DELHI: Bihar’s election stage has always had drama, but this time, the script has a cinematic twist. Folk singer Maithili Thakur, and Bhojpuri actors Khesari Lal Yadav and Pawan Singh, have all entered the political frame, turning the 2025 assembly battle into a fusion of star power and caste calculation.The BJP has fielded Maithili Thakur from Alinagar in Darbhanga, while the RJD has handed its Chapra ticket to Khesari Lal Yadav. Adding to the intrigue, Pawan Singh, who was once at odds with the BJP, has rejoined the party after months of speculation.
Together, the three represent how Bihar’s two biggest parties are turning to popular faces from music and cinema to stir old loyalties and reshape caste equations.
Maithili Thakur: The Mithila pride card
Alinagar sits in the heart of the Mithila region, where identity and language carry deep cultural pride. The BJP’s choice of Maithili Thakur is not just a nod to local sentiment but also a tactical move to expand appeal in a seat that has been closely fought.The constituency has shifted hands several times in recent years, and margins have been narrow. Maithili, a household name in the region, brings a blend of youth connect and cultural symbolism that the BJP hopes can widen its support base beyond traditional voters.Her campaign songs and folk roots are expected to draw attention across caste lines, especially among women and young voters who form a decisive chunk of the electorate.
Khesari Lal Yadav: RJD’s bid for the masses
If the BJP is playing the Mithila card, the RJD has chosen to bank on Bhojpuri stardom. Khesari Lal Yadav’s candidature from Chapra in Saran district is designed to add glamour to a contest that has long been decided by caste arithmetic.Chapra has traditionally been a battleground between Yadavs and Rajputs, and the RJD’s decision to field Khesari is an attempt to consolidate the Yadav vote while energising youth and migrant workers who idolise him. The BJP won Chapra in 2020, but with thin margins. Khesari’s popularity among lower and backward castes gives the RJD a chance to turn that equation on its head.The party hopes that his folk appeal, built through music that often celebrates aspiration and struggle, will connect emotionally with voters who see politics through the lens of identity and pride rather than policy.
The BJP-Pawan Singh reunion
The BJP’s patch-up with Pawan Singh was as political as it was pragmatic. A Rajput by caste and a massive name in the Bhojpuri entertainment industry, Singh had previously rebelled and flirted with contesting independently. His differences with the BJP had threatened to split the Rajput vote, especially in the Shahabad and Bhojpur regions where caste balance is delicate.His return to the party fold is a calculated move to heal that rift. BJP leaders believe Singh’s presence will help consolidate upper-caste support and attract younger, entertainment-driven voters who identify with his larger-than-life persona. The party has suffered from factionalism in parts of Shahabad, and Singh’s popularity in districts like Arrah, Buxar, and Karakat could help the BJP offset anti-incumbency and regain lost ground.
The caste arithmetic
According to Census data and voter surveys, the caste profile of these regions explains why the BJP and RJD chose their celebrity candidates so carefully. In Darbhanga’s Alinagar, upper castes, especially Maithil Brahmins and Rajputs, together account for about 25 to 30 per cent of the electorate, while Yadavs, Muslims, and EBC groups form the rest.Maithili Thakur’s candidature appeals directly to the Maithil Brahmin identity and to cultural pride cutting across caste lines. In Saran’s Chapra, Yadavs make up roughly 20 to 22 per cent, Rajputs and Bhumihars about 15 to 18 per cent, and EBCs and Muslims the remainder.That arithmetic explains why the RJD placed its faith in Khesari Lal Yadav to deepen Yadav consolidation while reaching EBC and lower-caste Bhojpuri voters who relate to him.Further west, in the Shahabad and Bhojpur belt, where Pawan Singh holds sway, Rajputs and Bhumihars together exceed 25 per cent, making them a crucial bloc for the BJP to retain. His re-entry aims to keep that segment united and offset the erosion seen in parts of Arrah and Karakat during 2024.While celebrity names attract attention, they do not always convert into victories. Bihar’s elections are fought at the booth level, where caste networks, local loyalty, and the ground machinery of parties still decide outcomes.Maithili’s appeal may help the BJP in Mithila, but it will need organisational muscle to translate her popularity into votes. Khesari’s fame gives the RJD visibility, but turning fans into voters requires the kind of micro-level mobilisation that only a well-oiled party machine can provide.Pawan Singh’s Rajput credentials may strengthen the BJP’s caste equation, but overreliance on charisma can backfire if local candidates fail to deliver on expectations.The entry of Maithili Thakur, Khesari Lal Yadav, and Pawan Singh has turned Bihar’s election into a curious blend of celebrity, caste, and calculation. The BJP and RJD are both using star power to energise their bases, yet beneath the glamour, it remains a story about numbers, of seats, votes, and social groups.
