Sasaram/Patna: As the Bihar Assembly elections approach, the Karakat constituency in Rohtas district has emerged as one of the most closely watched battlegrounds, with a high-profile triangular contest taking shape. Jyoti Singh, wife of Bhojpuri “Power Star” Pawan Singh, has entered the race as an independent candidate, taking on JDU’s sitting MP Mahabali Singh and CPI(ML) candidate Arun Singh, fielded by the Grand Alliance.
Jyoti Singh’s entry has added star power and intrigue to the contest, particularly after her sharp rebuttal to BJP MP Manoj Tiwari, who had branded her a “vote cutter” during a campaign for the NDA. “Manoj Tiwari is like an elder brother, but calling me a ‘vote cutter’ was unfair,” she said. “If I had been sent by the opposition, I would be contesting from a party ticket, not as an independent. The people of Karakat will give their answer on November 14.”
Her independent campaign, she claimed, has drawn “overwhelming support” from voters and caused “nervousness” among NDA leaders.
Jyoti Singh’s personal and political story has also drawn public attention — her decision to contest follows a reported rift in her marriage with Pawan Singh, a BJP leader and popular Bhojpuri actor-singer.
The Karakat seat has a history of fluctuating loyalties. In 2020, JDU’s Mahabali Singh won under the NDA banner, while in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, CPI(ML)’s Raja Ram Kushwaha secured victory for the Grand Alliance. With CPI(ML)’s Arun Singh now contesting and Jyoti Singh’s independent challenge reshaping local equations, Karakat has become one of Bihar’s most unpredictable constituencies.
