In a historic political debut, popular folk singer Maithili Thakur has won the Alinagar constituency seat in the recent Bihar Assembly elections, officially becoming the youngest Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) in Bihar’s history. The 25-year-old Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate secured a significant victory, defeating the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) veteran Binod Mishra by a margin of 11,730 votes.

Born on July 25, 2000, in the Madhubani district of Bihar, Thakur is the first MLA in the state to be born after the turn of the millennium. Her win marks the first time the BJP has ever won the Alinagar seat, which was previously a stronghold for the RJD and its allies since its creation in 2008.

A Journey from Music to Politics
Maithili Thakur was a household name long before she entered the political arena, known for her soulful renditions of Maithili, Bhojpuri, and Hindi folk and classical songs. Trained by her father, a classical vocalist, she and her two younger brothers gained a massive social media following, building a wide audience that appreciated their efforts to promote local culture and traditions.

Her rise to fame included a runner-up finish on the reality TV show Rising Star in 2017. Despite facing earlier rejections in other music competitions and enduring personal hardships, including her family changing homes 17 times due to neighbors’ complaints about music practice, she remained committed to her craft and cultural roots. In 2024, her work as a cultural ambassador earned her the “Cultural Ambassador of the Year” award, presented by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Thakur officially joined the BJP in October 2025, just a month before the elections, making her a surprise, yet popular, candidate. Her campaign centered on issues of youth employment, girls’ education, and the promotion of Mithila art, appealing to a young electorate eager for change. One of her key campaign promises was to work towards renaming the Alinagar constituency to ‘Sitanagar’.

A Generational Shift
After her victory, Maithili Thakur expressed her gratitude and dedication to her new role. “This is like a dream,” she said. “People have a lot of expectations of me. This will be my first term as an MLA, and I will do my best for my constituency. I will serve my people as their daughter”.Her win, at the minimum age required for a state assembly member, is being seen as a powerful symbol of a generational shift in Indian politics, where young, influential public figures can translate their social capital into a political mandate without a traditional dynastic background.