first MLA in India born in 21st century !!!

 

Those who follow politics for sure know, how difficult it is to get a seat for a constituency – how each party reckons winnability based on – factors like – fame (cine or otherwise), outreach, caste, political career, power and many more – there are scores of sons and daughters but not many new young faces !!

 

Likely you have read so many posts about a young woman getting elected to Bihar Assembly - Maithili Thakur’s victory has become one of the most talked-about moments in Indian politics, not just because she won — but because she created history while doing it. Born in 2000, she is officially the first MLA in India from the 21st century, breaking a generational barrier that existed since Independence. What makes her win even more remarkable is that she comes with zero political background — no dynasty, no big network, and no inherited voter base. Her rise is powered purely by her talent, cultural influence, and the trust she built through years of devotional music, social work, and grassroots connection. Her election sends a powerful message across the country: young India is ready to lead, and people are ready to choose honesty and merit over political legacy. 

The city was the capital of the Darbhanga Raj, an estate established in the 16th century, containing the Anandbagh Palace. It was constituted as a municipality in 1864. Darbhanga is home to the Kameshwara Singh Darbhanga Sanskrit University (established 1961), which is located on the grounds of the palace, and the Lalit Narayan Mithila University (established 1972). Darbhanga has a museum housing archaeological materials, as well as historical and handicrafts exhibits. Darbhanga has been a centre for music since the late 18th century and has produced multiple well-known dhrupad (an ancient form of Indian classical music) musicians. A major rail and road junction, Darbhanga trades in agricultural produce, mangoes, and fish. In addition to food processing, the city has a light manufacturing industry. 

Darbhanga is situated on a vast alluvial plain, with low-lying areas containing marshes and lakes.  Under the British Raj, Darbhanga was a part of Sarkar Tirhut until 1875, when it was constituted into a separate district. By some accounts the name Darbhanga is derived from Dwar Banga or Dar-e-Banga, meaning the 'door of Bengal'.  Darbhanga is one of the oldest cities in India. Musical, folk art, and literary traditions in Maithili, Sanskrit, Urdu, and Hindi have passed down generations in Darbhanga and constitute the city's strong cultural background. It is popularly known as the "Cultural Capital of Bihar" and the "Heart of Mithila". 

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Bihar has registered a thumping victory and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is set for a fifth consecutive term, as the coalition won 202 of the 243 seats in the state. Nitish is the state's longest-serving chief minister.  Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing party workers and supporters at the BJP headquarters in Delhi after the NDA's landslide win in Bihar, congratulated people for reposing faith in democracy and the Election Commission by voting in record numbers in the assembly elections.   The BJP bagged 89 seats, while Nitish Kumar-led JD(U) won 85 seats. Chirag Paswan’s LJP-RV won 19 seats. The Mahagathbandhan missed the halfway mark by a mile after securing just 35 seats. The RJD won 25 seats, while the the Congress party won 6 seats. With the Bihar election results clear now, the contest has turned out to be completely one-sided. Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj Party, which claimed to be an alternative option for voters, has failed to get a look-in with 0 seats.

 

In its first reaction to the drubbing in the Bihar Assembly Election, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) took to X and wrote in Hindi, “Public service is an unceasing process, an endless journey! Ups and downs are inevitable in it. No sorrow in defeat, no arrogance in victory! The Rashtriya Janata Dal is the party of the poor, it will continue to raise their voice among the poor!”  A day after the RJD was drubbed in the Bihar assembly polls, party president Lalu Prasad’s daughter Rohini Acharya on Saturday announced that she was “quitting politics” and severed ties with the family.Acharya, a doctor by qualification, who chose to become a homemaker and settled with her Singapore-based husband, made the announcement in a cryptic post on her X handle. 

As per Delimitation of Parliamentary and Assembly constituencies Order, 2008, No. 81 Alinagar Assembly constituency is composed of the following: Alinagar, Tardih, Motipur Panchayat "Earlier Antour Panchayat (Antour, Motipur, Andauli) and Ghanshyampur community development blocks. Emerging as a giant slayer, 25-year-old Maithili Thakur, on Friday (November 14, 2025) won from Alinagar  by 11,730 votes over her opponent – Binod Mishra, an RJD heavyweight. Ms. Thakur, who turned 25 on July 25 this year, will be the youngest representative to be elected to the Bihar Assembly.

 

Maithili Thakur (born 25 July 2000) is already famous as playback singer trained in Indian classical music and folk music. She has sung original songs, covers, and traditional folk music in Hindi, Maithili, Bhojpuri, Awadhi, Magahi, and other Indic languages. 

Thakur was born in Madhubani, Bihar to a Maithili musician and music teacher working in Delhi Ramesh Thakur and Bharti Thakur. She is named after the goddess Sita as well as her mother tongue. Maithili, along with her two brothers, Rishav and Ayachi, was trained by her grandfather and father in Maithili folk and Hindustani classical music, harmonium and tabla. Realising his daughter's potential around the age of 6, her father relocated the family to Dwarka in New Delhi for better opportunities.  She began learning music from her grandfather, her first music master when she was only 4 years old. At the age of 10, she started singing at jagrans and other musical functions. 

In 2011, Thakur appeared in Little Champs, a singing competition television series telecast on Zee TV. Four years later, she contested in Indian Idol Junior, telecast in Sony TV. She won the "I Genius Young Singing Star" competition in 2016, following which she launched her album, Ya Rabba (Universal Music).  In 2017, Thakur was a contestant in season 1 of Rising Star, a television singing competition. Maithili was the first finalist of the show, singing Om Namah Shivaya which gained her direct entry into the final. She ended as runner up, losing out by just two votes. Following the show, her internet popularity rose significantly.After huge success with their videos on Facebook and YouTube, Thakur and her brothers began performing at various national and international events. Maithili has been awarded Atal Mithila Samman by the Government of India. In 2019 Maithili and her brothers were made the brand ambassadors of Madhubani by the Election Commission. Rishav is on the tabla and Ayachi is a singer and performs often on percussion as well. She was awarded Lokmat Sur Jytosna National Music Award 2021 by the Information & broadcast Minister Anurag Thakur.  Maithili Thakur on her YouTube channel along with her two younger brother Rishav and Ayachi sings famous Ramcharitmanas by Tulsidas. This Manaspath gives a huge success to Maithali as well as to her brothers. Currently they are on 302nd episode and couplet (doha) no. 236 of Ayodhya kanda. 

 

Maithili Thakur has played an instrumental role in promoting Madhubani art, a traditional folk art form rooted in the Mithila region of Bihar. She creatively weaves elements of this vibrant art into her musical journey, often incorporating its themes and motifs into her performances. Through this fusion, she not only enriches her artistic expression but also brings Madhubani art to a wider audience.  Leveraging platforms like YouTube and Instagram, Maithili shares content that highlights the history, techniques, and cultural importance of Madhubani painting. Her engaging posts, which often include visuals and stories about the art form, help educate her followers and spark interest in this unique cultural tradition worldwide.  As a leading voice in Indian folk music, Maithili Thakur embodies the cultural depth of the Mithila region. By integrating traditional songs and themes inspired by Madhubani art into her repertoire, she actively preserves and promotes her heritage

 

Only recently  Thakur formally joined the BJP and got ticket from Alinagar constituency. She won the seat by massive  11730 votes and has become  the youngest representative to be elected to the Bihar Legislative Assembly as well as the youngest serving MLA in the country.   

Among her many recognitions and Awards - Maithili Thakur was awarded the Cultural Ambassador of the Year Award by the Prime Minister of India at the inaugural National Creators Award in Mar 2024 & National Human Rights and Crime Control Bureau awarded NHRCCB India Pride Award to Maithali Thakur in 2022. 

For sure you have seen videos circulating her singing the famous hit song of Ajit starrer Viswasam – ‘Kannana kanney’ - Maithili Thakur released her female cover version of the Tamil song "Kannaana Kanney" on December 4, 2020.  She shared the cover on her official Facebook and YouTube channels, mentioning it was her first attempt at singing a Tamil song.   

Such young energetic persons bring lot to the mainstream of politics and wishing Ms Maithily Thakur a long good innings in politics.

 

Regards – S Sampathkumar
16.11.2025