The political landscape of Bihar is heating up as the state gears up for 2025 Assembly elections. Prashant Kishor’s newly formed party, Jan Suraaj Party, has unveiled its first list of candidates, and the biggest buzz is coming from Rohtas district’s Kargahar constituency. The reason? Bhojpuri singer and actor Ritesh Pandey has been chosen to contest from this seat.
Kargahar was long considered Prashant Kishor’s own political turf. Many speculated that PK himself might enter the fray from here, given it is his birthplace and a seat he reportedly favoured. But with Ritesh Pandey now officially in the race, political circles are curious to see where Prashant Kishor will contest.
Ritesh Pandey (also called Bhojpuriya rockstar) born in Sasaram, Rohtas district, has been a rising star in the Bhojpuri entertainment industry. Popular for his singing, acting, and modeling, Ritesh made his debut in 2014 with the song ‘Munda Like Me’. Then he rose to international fame with his hit track ‘Hello Kaun’. The song has already amassed over 900 million views on YouTube.
Ritesh has also acted in popular Bhojpuri films like ‘Balma Biharwala 2’ (2016) and ‘Tohre Mein Basela Pran’ (2017).
On July 18, 2025, Ritesh Pandey formally joined the Jan Suraaj Party in Patna, in presence of Prashant Kishor and former IPS officer Jaiprakash Singh.
The decision to field Ritesh Pandey in Kargahar comes as a strategic move. He has a mass appeal among youth and Bhojpuri-speaking audiences.
Meanwhile, speculation continues around Prashant Kishor’s own electoral plans now. With his home constituency now represented by Ritesh, political analysts are closely watching which seat PK might choose to contest.