Top News

Folk and classical singer Maithili Thakur has hinted at entering politics and contesting the 2025 Bihar elections, likely from her hometown Benipatti in Madhubani. She recently met BJP leaders Vinod Tawde and Union minister Nityanand Rai, fueling speculation about her candidature. No official announcement has been made yet.

Add Asianet Newsable as a Preferred Source

Who is Maithili Thakur?

Maithili Thakur is a young folk and classical singer from Benipatti in Bihar's Madhubani district. She comes from a musical family: her father Ramesh Thakur is also a music teacher and she along with her two brothers were trained by their grandfather and father in folk as well as classical music.

Over the years, she has gained wide recognition for singing in Maithili, Bhojpuri and Hindi, performing devotional and folk music across India and abroad. In 2021, she was awarded the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar by the Sangeet Natak Akademi for her contributions to folk music. 

She was also made the state icon of Bihar by the Election Commission, a role in which she has participated in voter education and awareness programs. Her popularity rose further after Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised her rendition of a song on Maa Shabri during the Ayodhya temple inauguration, bringing her into national spotlight. 

The political hint: recent meetings and statements

In early October 2025, Maithili Thakur met with BJP national general secretary and Bihar in-charge Vinod Tawde, and Union minister Nityanand Rai. Photos of these meetings were shared on social media, generating speculation that she may be fielded as a BJP candidate in the upcoming Bihar assembly elections.

Vinod Tawde posted pictures and referred to Maithili as ‘Bihar’s daughter', welcoming her to participate in the state’s development. In his post, he also made a political comment, alluding to families who had left Bihar during Lalu Prasad Yadav's era, now coming back to build the state.

In response, Thakur expressed gratitude and said that conversations about Bihar’s future remind her of 'vision and service'. She did not fully commit to contesting but did not deny the possibility either.

Scroll to load tweet…

Speaking to reporters, she said that she has emotional ties to her home area and would prefer to start from her village constituency because that gives her the chance to “learn” by meeting people and understanding local needs. She clarified that no official announcement has been made yet, and she is considering possibilities. 

Possible constituencies and political calculations

Reports suggest that BJP might offer her candidacy from seats such as Madhubani (her home region) or Alinagar in Darbhanga district. The region of Mithila (which includes Madhubani and Darbhanga) is seen as culturally linked with her identity and could be an advantageous political ground for her.

Currently, Benipatti (in Madhubani) is represented by BJP leader Vinod Narayan Jha, who won in 2020. If Thakur contests, she may either challenge that seat or run from a different nearby seat to avoid direct conflict. 

Politically, bringing in a popular cultural figure like Maithili could help BJP connect with youth, regional pride, and voters who appreciate her artistic background. But she faces challenges: entering politics with little prior political work, building organizational support at ground level, and managing expectations.

Bihar election schedule

The Bihar assembly elections 2025 are scheduled in two phases:

Polling dates: November 6 and November 11

Counting of votes: November 14

These elections come in a politically charged atmosphere, with alliances and seat-sharing talks ongoing among major parties like BJP, RJD, JD(U), Congress and left parties.

In this context, a candidate like Maithili Thakur could be seen as both a symbolic and strategic choice for BJP: symbolic because she represents Bihar culture and roots and strategic because her popularity might bring votes from non-traditional supporters. 

Maithili Thakur's possible entry into politics is still in a speculative phase. But her deep connection to her home region, widespread popularity as a cultural figure, and recent meetings with BJP leaders indicate that she is actively being considered for a political role. Whether she will formally take the plunge, and how successful she may be, remains to be seen as Bihar moves toward its 2025 assembly elections.