Popular folk singer Maithili Thakur made her political debut on Tuesday and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the presence of state president Dilip Jaiswal in Patna. Thakur joined the party alongside Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Bharat Bind. Thakur first gained popularity at the age of 12, when she launched a YouTube channel, where she would sing Maithili and Bhojpuri songs. What started as a young girl’s passion has grown into a massive fanbase—she now boasts more than 51 lakh subscribers on YouTube and over 63 lakh followers on Instagram. VIDEO | Patna: Folk singer Maithili Thakur joins BJP ahead of Bihar Assembly elections in the presence of BJP state president Dilip Jaiswal.#BiharElections2025 #BiharElectionsWithPTI (Full video available on PTI Videos – ) pic.twitter.com/fJEfnokkrg — Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 14, 2025 Her joining came on a day when the BJP launched its first list of candidates for the Bihar Assembly Election with 71 names. Moments after joining, Thakur interacted with the media and sang a Chhath song. VIDEO | Patna: Folk Singer Maithili Thakur (@maithilithakur) sings Chhath song after joining BJP.#BiharElection2025 #BiharElectionsWithPTI (Full video available on PTI Videos - ) pic.twitter.com/2ezWpGtnag — Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 14, 2025 Over the past decade, her soulful performances have taken her from local stages to prestigious events both in India and abroad, including programmes graced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Her brothers, Risabh Thakur and Ayachi Thakur, as well as her father, Ramesh Thakur, are all accomplished singers. In a Facebook post on Monday, BJP national general secretary Vinod Tawde shared details of his meeting with the artist. “Renowned singer Maithili Thakur, whose family left Bihar in 1995 during Lalu Prasad Yadav’s tenure, now wishes to return to the state, inspired by its rapid development. Today, Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai and I requested her to contribute to Bihar’s growth and development, fulfilling the expectations of its people. We wish Maithili Thakur all the best,” Tawde wrote. Maithili Thakur was earlier appointed as the ‘State Icon’ of Bihar by the Election Commission of India to promote voter awareness. Speaking to reporters in Jabalpur on Monday, when asked if she would consider contesting elections, she said she shares a deep bond with her hometown and believes beginning her political journey there would be a valuable learning experience.
