Bihar Assembly Elections 2025 News: Ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections, Folk and devotional singer Maithili Thakur joined the Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday in Patna in the presence of Bihar BJP President Dilip Jaiswal. Thakur is likely to contest the upcoming Bihar assembly elections from Alinagar in Darbhanga. Party sources said Thakur has expressed interest in contesting from her home constituency Benipatti after meeting BJP leaders. Currently, the Benipatti seat is represented by senior BJP leader and former minister Vinod Narayan Jha. Jha defeated Congress’s Bhawana Jha by over 30,000 votes in 2020.
Maithili Thakur was born in Benipatti in Madhubani district of Bihar. She is the daughter of Maithil musician and music teacher Ramesh Thakur and Bharti Thakur. Maithili Thakur turned 25 in July this year. She gained recognition in music at the age of 11 in 2011 and has remained active in the field since then.
Speaking at the event, Jaiswal expressed confidence in the National Democratic Alliance’s victory. He said voters have decided to form an NDA government with a "thumping majority." He also criticized the opposition Mahagathbandhan, claiming that several of its MLAs would soon join the BJP. "Opposition is disheartened and depressed. They are attempting to say something or the other before the media...Voters have made up their minds to form NDA Govt with a thumping majority...More than a dozen MLAs from RJD-Congress will join the BJP. Aage aage dekhiye hota hai kya...Opposition is collapsing everywhere; it has a 'flat tyre'," Jaiswal said during the press conference.
Earlier on Tuesday, the BJP released its first list of 71 candidates for the assembly elections. The Central Election Committee approved names including Mangal Pandey for Siwan, Tarkishore Prasad for Katihar, Ramkripal Yadav for Danapur, Nitin Nabin for Bankipur, Renu Devi for Bettiah, Prem Kumar for Gaya Town, Shreyasi Singh for Jamui, Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha for Lakhisarai, and Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary for Tarapur.
The ruling NDA announced its seat-sharing arrangement for the elections. The BJP and Janata Dal (United) will contest 101 seats each. The Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) will contest 29 seats, Rashtriya Lok Morcha six, and Hindustani Awam Morcha six seats.
The NDA will face the INDIA bloc led by Tejashwi Yadav of the RJD along with the Congress, CPI (ML), CPI, CPM, and Vikasheel Insaan Party led by Mukesh Sahani. Bihar will also see the entry of Prashant Kishor’s new party Jan Suraaj.
Bihar will hold polling for its 243-seat assembly in two phases on November 6 and 11. Vote counting is scheduled for November 14.