Maithili Thakur’s win and caste politics of selective purity in Hindutva; The feel-good narrative and what it conceals

Maithili Thakur’s win and caste politics of selective purity in Hindutva; The feel-good narrative and what it conceals

Maithili Thakur’s election victory in Bihar has been widely framed as an uplifting story: a young folk singer rising from cultural stardom to political success. It is the kind of narrative that appears refreshing in a political climate saturated with dynasty, corruption, and ideological fatigue. Yet beneath this surface lies a far older power structure that makes her rise unsurprising. Thakur did not enter politics as an outsider, dismantling co…