Maithili Thakur’s Journey from Cultural Icon to BJP Candidate

Maithali Thakur, is a well-known folk singer from Bihar, with 11 million followers across YouTube and Instagram.

Thakur was awarded the ‘Cultural Ambassador of the Year’ by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the National Creators Award in 2024 for her efforts in preserving and promoting Indian folk music.

Thakur is now set to contest the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections on a BJP ticket representing Darbhanga, her home region in Mithila. BJP leaders have appreciated this move.

The National Creators Awards largely recognised the content which resonated and supported right-wings social narratives. As reported earlier by Decode, Maithali was one of the winners who regularly posted Hindu Devotional content.

Thakur’s political debut shows BJP’s ambition in connecting with the young voters by introducing popular cultural figures and youth content creators into the world of politics. c.