Bhojpuri music sensation Ritesh Pandey, famous for the viral hit [‘Hello Kaun’](which amassed over 900 million YouTube views), has officially entered electoral politics as Jan Suraaj’s candidate from the Kargahar assembly constituency in Rohtas district. Praised for his mass appeal among youth and rural audiences, Pandey’s nomination by poll strategist-turned-politician Prashant Kishor marks one of the most high-profile fieldings in Bihar’s 2025 election.
A Surprise Ticket from Prashant Kishor
Speculation ran high over which seat Kishor would contest himself—his native Kargahar had been tipped. Instead, Kishor’s Jan Suraaj unveiled its first list of 51 candidates on October 8, giving the Kargahar ticket to Pandey and fueling fresh intrigue about Kishor’s own plans. Pandey’s selection underscores Jan Suraaj’s strategy of leveraging cultural icons to energize its grassroots campaign.
From Medical Aspirations to Musical Stardom
Hailing from Sasaram, Pandey defied early expectations when his parents hoped he’d pursue medicine. A young Ritesh instead immersed himself in music, recording his first song in Varanasi before breaking through with regional albums. His career peaked with chartbusters like “Karua Tel” and the lockdown anthem “Hello Kaun,” which propelled him to superstar status and earned him a devoted fan base across Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.
Youth Icon with Strong Grassroots Connect
Pandey’s popularity among Bihar’s youth and migrant communities forms the crux of his appeal as a candidate. Known for energetic live performances and social-media engagement, he has spent months building ties with Kargahar’s villagers, promising to prioritize education, infrastructure, and cultural promotion in the constituency. Party workers celebrated his nomination with dance and music, reflecting the enthusiasm his entry has sparked on the ground.
Kargahar: A Battleground to Watch
Kargahar, a constituency long associated with agrarian challenges and youth unemployment, now becomes a high-stakes arena. Pandey will face candidates from the NDA and Mahagathbandhan, turning his star power into an electoral test of whether celebrity appeal can translate into votes. Observers note that Kargahar’s mix of traditional voters and first-time youth electors could make or break his political debut.
Stakes for Jan Suraaj and Prashant Kishor
For Prashant Kishor, fielding Ritesh Pandey serves a dual purpose: it cements Jan Suraaj’s commitment to non-conventional candidates and keeps Kishor’s own electoral ambitions in play elsewhere. If Pandey secures Kargahar, it will validate Jan Suraaj’s strategy of combining technocratic credibility with popular culture outreach—a formula Kishor hopes will disrupt Bihar’s established political order.
As campaigning intensifies ahead of voting on November 6 and 11, Ritesh Pandey’s transition from singer to candidate will be closely watched. His victory could herald a new chapter where Bhojpuri cultural influence reshapes Bihar’s electoral politics; his defeat would underscore the limits of star power in entrenched local dynamics. Either way, Pandey’s political leap from “Hello Kaun” to Kargahar has already made him one of this election’s most intriguing contenders.
