Maithili Thakur Joins BJP: Folk Singer Set to Contest Bihar Assembly Elections from Alinagar

Maithili Thakur, the acclaimed Maithili folk singer, has officially joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today in Patna. Sources indicate she is likely to be fielded as a candidate in the upcoming assembly election from Alinagar constituency in Darbhanga district, which forms part of the Mithilanchal region. The BJP hopes her inclusion will help attract young voters to the party.

In a previous exclusive interview with NDTV, Thakur expressed her political aspirations were rooted in a desire to serve her native region. "I want to serve Bihar. I have been doing this through my folk songs, and that is why I didn't want to go abroad," she had stated.

The folk artist further elaborated on her motivations, saying, "I want to carry forward the culture of my region, and if politics gives me this opportunity, nothing would be more important to me. I don't want to enter politics and do politics. I want to serve my region."

Earlier this month, Thakur was seen meeting with Bihar BJP in-charge Vinod Tawde and Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai in New Delhi, along with her father. Following this meeting, Tawde shared photographs on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), referring to her as "Bihar's daughter" while welcoming her back to the state.

Thakur has established herself as a prominent artist performing folk songs in multiple languages. Her talents have been recognized at the national level, including receiving the "Cultural Ambassador of The Year" award directly from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Her religious musical compositions have garnered significant attention, including from PM Modi himself. Following the Ram temple inauguration in Ayodhya in 2024, the Prime Minister shared appreciation for her work in a social media post: "The occasion of Pran Pratishtha in Ayodhya is reminding my family members across the country of every incident related to the life and ideals of Lord Shri Ram. One such emotional incident is related to Shabari. Listen, to how Maithili Thakur ji has put it in her melodious tunes."