By Kavita Mistry 
Lucknow/New Delhi: Two Bhojpuri stars have made headlines this month for different reasons, but both share a common goal, making it big in Bihar politics.
On Thursday, Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj announced popular Bhojpuri singer-actor Ritesh Pandey as its candidate for the upcoming Bihar assembly polls from Kargahar constituency. Another singer-actor Pawan Singh, who joined and quit the BJP last year and was this month again reinducted into the party, has been in the news for his troubles with his wife.
While Pawan was speculated to get a BJP ticket for the polls, he announced Saturday that he would not contest the polls but remain “a true soldier of the party”. This came after his wife Jyoti accused him of harassment during a press conference in Lucknow and hinted that she may contest against him if he entered the poll fray. She also met Prashant Kishor Friday.
Apart from Ritesh and Pawan, at least half a dozen Bhojpuri film and music stars are believed to be seeking party nominations in Bihar, including Khesari Lal Yadav, Akshara Singh and Maithili Thakur.
Speaking to ThePrint, Ritesh, 34, said he “wanted to do something for my district (Rohtas)”.
“I’ve been involved in social work for quite some time and wish to change the image of Bihar. When I went to Mumbai for the first time, I noticed the discrimination faced by Biharis there. Since then, I have decided to make people aware of the issues surrounding migration. If we get good opportunities here, why would we need to migrate?” he asked.
In his poll campaign, Ritesh has been promoting the slogan “siksha bahut zaruri ba” (education is very important). In every election meeting, he pushes the issues of education and migration.
Bihar-based political analysts are closely watching the trend of Bhojpuri stars eyeing the state’s political arena.
Patna-based sociologist Prof Gyanendra Yadav, a faculty member at College of Commerce, Arts & Science, told ThePrint: “Bhojpuri film stars enjoy immense popularity in Bihar, particularly among the lower-middle-class and working-class sections. However, their popularity doesn’t necessarily translate into electoral success.”
“Unlike south India, where film stars often have lasting political influence, Bihar’s experience has been different. Except for Shatrughan Sinha, no film star has managed to sustain a long-term political career here.”
“It will be interesting to see how the appeal of these regional cinema stars plays out in the upcoming elections, as all major parties seem to be banking on their influence.”
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Ritesh Pandey & Pawan Singh
Ritesh Pandey comes from a modest background. After scoring 72% marks in intermediate exams, his parents wanted him to move to Kota to prepare for medical entrance. However, Ritesh’s true passion lay in music. Defying family expectations, he chose to pursue singing and began performing at small local events, according to people close to him.
His breakthrough came through his music. His superhit track Hello Kaun became a sensation, garnering over 900 million views on YouTube and making it the most-viewed Bhojpuri song of all time. Another popular number, Piyawa Se Pahile Hamaar Rahlu, also struck a deep chord with listeners.
According to Jan Suraaj functionaries, the party is confident that his popularity in the Bhojpuri world and his connection with the public will make him a strong candidate.
Pawan Singh, on the other hand, has had a stint in the poll fray. Last year, he unsuccessfully contested the 2024 Lok Sabha election as an Independent from the Karakat seat. He had been expelled from the BJP for his decision to stand against the official candidate. He lost narrowly to CPI-ML Liberation’s Raja Ram Singh Kushwaha.
This year, he was again eyeing a poll ticket for the state elections. “I have contested the Lok Sabha elections. Now, I will fight the Bihar assembly elections,” Pawan had said earlier this year.
On 30 September, he met Union ministers Amit Shah and J.P. Nadda, who is also the BJP national president, and declared he was again of the party. He also called on NDA ally and Rashtriya Lok Morcha president Upendra Kushwaha, who had lost the Lok Sabha contest from Karakat partly due to Pawan’s independent candidature.
For these meetings, Pawan was accompanied by BJP leaders Vinod Tawde (general secretary) and Rituraj Sinha (national secretary).
Other Bhojpuri stars creating political buzz
Bhojpuri actress Akshara Singh has also become the centre of attention in Bihar’s political circles following her meeting with Union minister and BJP’s Begusarai MP Giriraj Singh earlier this week.
Sharing a photo from the meeting on X, Akshara described it as a “courtesy visit” and mentioned that she got the minister’s blessings.
Akshara is among the most popular and highest-paid actresses in the Bhojpuri film industry. She has received several awards for her performances and is best known for her roles in films such as the action drama Tabadala, the political drama Sarkar Raj and the action-romance Satya.
Another popular face folk singer from Bihar’s Mithila region, Maithili Thakur, has become a topic of discussion amid speculation that she may contest Bihar elections from her home constituency, Madhubani.
The rumours gained momentum after BJP’s Bihar in-charge, Vinod Tawde, shared photos of a meeting between Maithili and Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai in New Delhi.
Posting the pictures on X, Tawde referred to Maithili as “Bihar’s daughter” and welcomed her back to the state.
Taking a swipe at the rival Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), earlier in power in the state, Tawde wrote: “The families that left Bihar after Lalu (Prasad) came to power in 1995 , the daughter of one such family, the renowned singer Maithili Thakur now wishes to return to Bihar, inspired by the state’s transformation.”
Responding to Tawde’s remarks, Maithili expressed her appreciation: “Every conversation with those who dream big for Bihar reminds me of the power of vision and service. I’m deeply honoured and grateful.”
The singer hails from the Mithila region, encompassing Madhubani and Darbhanga.
According to sources, the BJP is considering offering her one of two possible seats, Madhubani or Alinagar, in Darbhanga where Maithili has shown willingness to contest.
Meanwhile, Bhojpuri star Khesari Lal Yadav is attracting attention in the opposition camp, as speculation grows that either he or his wife may contest the Bihar elections on an RJD ticket.
Sources in RJD said either of them would contest from Manjhi constituency. If Khesari’s wife contests, then he will work as a star campaigner for the RJD.
Speaking to the media, Khesari said: “Tejashwi Yadav (of RJD) and Akhilesh Yadav (of SP) are like elder brothers to me. If they wish, my wife Chanda will contest. She has been active in social work, and now that our children are grown up, she is ready to take up the responsibility.”
During the interaction, Khesari also appeared to take a jab at fellow Bhojpuri actors, including Pawan Singh, without naming them.
He remarked that while some people might win elections riding on their stardom, true leadership lies in staying connected with the public. “If they don’t live among the people, who will hear their problems?” he asked, adding that elections should be fought by those willing to serve the community directly.
(Edited by Nida Fatima Siddiqui)
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