In a stunning display of fiery determination, two newly elected women MLAs from Bihar’s ruling coalition have wasted no time in holding their own government accountable. BJP’s Maithili Thakur and JD(U)’s Komal Singh, both young and bold, took center stage in the state assembly during the ongoing budget session, grilling ministers over critical local issues.
Maithili Thakur, the celebrated folk singer turned politician from Alinagar, fired the first salvo on February 9. She zeroed in on the dilapidated state of government hospitals in her constituency, particularly the crumbling building that poses a direct threat to patients. ‘Plaster falls from the ceiling, walls have deep cracks, and rainwater leaks into wards during monsoons,’ she described vividly, emphasizing the risk to pregnant women and children admitted there.
Health Minister Mangal Pandey responded by assuring repairs and new constructions under way, but Thakur was unimpressed. ‘The reply claims the building isn’t in bad shape, just needs fixing. I’ve seen it myself—there’s no MBBS doctor, and it’s a disaster waiting to happen,’ she retorted, urging immediate action despite annual health budget hikes.
Switching gears to JD(U) MLA Komal Singh, the 30-year-old from Gayghat in Muzaffarpur, who on February 3 questioned the so-called stadium built in her area. Dismissing the Sports Department’s written report as ‘completely false,’ she pointed out the lack of basic facilities like changing rooms, football grounds, running tracks, or even toilets at the so-called sites—actually just high school fields.
Sports Minister and Olympic shooter Shreyasi Singh countered that a Rs 1.2 crore stadium was completed in 2021 under the CM Sports Development Scheme. To diffuse the tension, she offered a site visit and promised rectifications based on the MLA’s feedback, which calmed the debate.
These episodes highlight a refreshing assertiveness among Bihar’s fresh faces in politics. Coming from political pedigrees—Komal’s father is an MLC and mother an MP—yet driven by ground realities, they signal that loyalty to party lines won’t silence demands for development. As Bihar’s assembly sessions intensify, expect more such confrontations pushing the Nitish Kumar government to deliver.