Patna: Bhojpuri cinema’s ‘Power Star’ Pawan Singh campaigned actively for the NDA during the Bihar Assembly elections, energising workers and drawing crowds. His recent meetings with BJP leaders in Delhi and speculation on social media further fuelled expectations that he could be nominated to the Rajya Sabha. However, when the final list was announced, his name was missing.
Why did the BJP not field Pawan Singh despite the buzz? Here is a breakdown of the key factors that appear to have shaped the party’s decision.
Controversial Image and Past Disciplinary Issues
Pawan Singh has frequently been in the news over controversies related to his personal life and alleged conduct with co-artists. Political observers say that the BJP, which is cautious about maintaining its public image, may have factored this into its decision.
A political analyst noted that the BJP typically prefers leaders with a long-standing organisational background and a record of party discipline for Rajya Sabha nominations. According to him, Singh’s track record does not fully align with that pattern.
The issue of party discipline also resurfaced from the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The BJP had initially given Singh a ticket from Asansol in West Bengal. The candidature faced opposition from the Trinamool Congress and triggered controversy over his past Bhojpuri songs. The party later withdrew the ticket.
Subsequently, Singh announced he would contest as an Independent from Karakat in Bihar after not receiving a BJP ticket. He finished second, but his presence in the fray is widely believed to have split votes, contributing to the defeat of NDA candidate Upendra Kushwaha. Following this, the BJP expelled Singh from the party on May 22, 2024. He was then a member of the state executive committee. He rejoined the party on September 30, 2025, ahead of the Assembly elections.
These developments may have weighed on the party’s decision while considering a Rajya Sabha nomination.
Caste and Seat Calculations Within BJP’s Quota
Bihar has five Rajya Sabha seats in this round, of which two fell to the BJP under the NDA arrangement. The party nominated its national president Nitin Nabin and Shivesh Ram.
Nitin Nabin, who took charge as BJP national president in January and was earlier an MLA from Bankipur in Patna, belongs to the Kayastha community, classified among the forward castes. Pawan Singh, a Rajput, also belongs to the forward category.
Given the limited seats and the need for social balance, fielding two forward-caste candidates from Bihar could have disrupted the party’s caste equation. The BJP appears to have opted for one forward and one Dalit candidate from its quota to maintain broader representation.
Sending Nitin Nabin to the Rajya Sabha also allows him to focus on national organisational responsibilities without being tied to state-level legislative duties.
Pressure From NDA Allies and Kushwaha Factor
The fifth Rajya Sabha seat became a matter of negotiation within the NDA. Smaller allies such as Upendra Kushwaha’s Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM), Jitan Ram Manjhi’s Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM), and Chirag Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) were reportedly asserting their claims.
Kushwaha’s position was particularly strong as his tenure was ending, and he is seen as an influential leader of the Koeri community, which accounts for about 4.2% of Bihar’s population. The community plays a decisive role in several regions, including Magadh, Shahabad, Siwan, Bhagalpur-Banka, Purnia and parts of north Bihar.
In the 2025 Assembly elections, RLM contested six seats and won four, strengthening Kushwaha’s bargaining power within the alliance. Data from the recent polls suggests the NDA significantly improved its performance in regions where Kushwaha’s influence is considered substantial. In Magadh, the NDA’s tally reportedly rose sharply compared to 2020. Similar gains were seen in Shahabad, Siwan and Samastipur districts.
Against this backdrop, accommodating Kushwaha’s claim for a Rajya Sabha berth appears to have been a strategic alliance decision, leaving limited scope for additional names like Pawan Singh.
The Bigger Picture
While Pawan Singh’s popularity and campaign efforts boosted visibility for the NDA, Rajya Sabha nominations are often driven by organisational loyalty, caste balance, alliance arithmetic and long-term political strategy rather than crowd appeal alone.
Though overlooked this time, political observers do not rule out the possibility of the BJP considering him for a Legislative Council berth or a future Lok Sabha contest, depending on how equations evolve.
For now, the party’s Rajya Sabha choices reflect a combination of image management, internal discipline considerations and coalition compulsions within the NDA.
