Maithili Thakur, popular folk singer and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate from the Alinagar seat, was the first to show up on the lead table and maintained her lead as the counting for the 2025 Bihar assembly elections remained underway after kickstarting at 8 am.
Maithili Thakur, BJP’s Alinagar seat candidate, with home minister Amit Shah during a public rally for the Bihar assembly elections(ANI)
Maithili Thakur is facing Rashtriya Janata Dal’s Binod Mishra for the Alinagar assembly seat, one of the most closely watched contests of the Mithilanchal region.
The BJP fielded Maithili Thakur just two days after she joined the party, replacing sitting MLA Mishri Lal Yadav, who was denied a ticket following legal troubles. The two-phase Bihar poll will be held on November 6 and 11, with results to be declared on November 14.
Who is Maithili Thakur?
A celebrated voice in Maithili and Bhojpuri folk traditions, Maithili Thakur hails from Benipatti in Madhubani district, about 35 km from Alinagar. She and her brothers, Rishav and Ayachi, rose to fame through social media performances celebrating Bihar’s folk heritage. Recipient of the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar from the Sangeet Natak Akademi, Thakur represents the youngest face in the BJP’s candidate list.
After joining the party, she said, “Whatever job the party assigns to me, I will do it with full dedication.” Seen as a cultural icon, Thakur’s entry has energised the BJP’s campaign and widened its youth appeal in north Bihar.
Who is Binod Mishra?
Her opponent, Binod Mishra, represents the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and was the runner-up in the 2020 assembly election. A local Brahmin leader with a strong organisational base, Mishra has built his campaign around employment, rural infrastructure, and welfare for the poor. With Alinagar historically leaning towards the RJD, Mishra is relying on his deep local connect and the party’s traditional caste arithmetic to reclaim the seat for the INDIA bloc.
About Alinagar seat
Situated in Darbhanga district, Alinagar is part of the culturally vibrant Mithilanchal region. The constituency has a mixed population of Brahmins, Yadavs, Muslims, and extremely backward classes (EBCs), including Mallahs and Paswans.
Once an RJD bastion under Abdul Bari Siddiqui, the seat swung in 2020 when Mishri Lal Yadav won on a Vikassheel Insaan Party ticket before joining the BJP. With Thakur’s celebrity appeal and Mishra’s grassroots strength, Alinagar is set for a contest blending culture, caste, and charisma.
