Patna, Bihar, India: As the results continue to come in, the NDA has surprised the opposition Mahagathbandhan with a strong performance, securing leads in over 190 constituencies. Many candidates from the opposition alliance are trailing. Even Tejashwi Yadav, the alliance’s chief ministerial face, is behind in his Raghopur seat.

Meanwhile, 25-year-old Maithili Thakur is showing impressive strength in her debut political contest. She is contesting from the important Alinagar constituency in the Mithilanchal region. According to the latest figures, she has received 28,104 votes across the eight phases of polling, while her closest competitor, RJD candidate Binod Mishra, has secured 21,311 votes, giving her a lead of more than 6,700 votes. The Jan Suraj Party nominee has managed only 814 votes.

Binod Mishra, once considered a strong contender, is now trailing behind the young singer as counting progresses through the 24 rounds. The final outcome will become clearer as the remaining rounds conclude.

Maithili Thakur has been a well-known cultural figure even before entering politics. The Election Commission had previously appointed her as a state icon of Bihar, and she is widely regarded as a cultural ambassador for the state. In 2021, she received the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar from the Sangeet Natak Akademi for her contribution to Bihar’s folk music. Her supporters are hopeful that she will soon take on the role of MLA.