Singer Khesari Lal Yadav’s melody misaligns with Chapra voters: Did controversies catch up? A list

Khesari Lal Yadav, also known as Shatrughan Yadav, is a popular Bhojpuri singer and actor. He leveraged his popularity to enter the political arena and joined the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), securing a ticket for the Chapra seat ahead of the 2025 Bihar election. However, the voters of the constituency have not responded to his political campaign.

The run-up to the Chapra election was also not devoid of controversies involving Khesari Lal Yadav, making one wonder if it was they who caught up with him.

Khesari Lal Yadav Controversies

Mandir-Hospital remark

The RJD candidate from Chapra recently sparked controversy when he spoke about the Ram Mandir, asking if studying about it makes one a professor. He urged the Chapra voters to focus on development and education. “Will studying about the Ram Mandir make me a master, a professor, or a government employee?” he asked, prompting attacks from the BJP, which accused Khesari of speaking against Sanatan Dharm.

The RJD leader defended his statement, clarifying that his intent was to stress the importance of education and development. Also Read | Bhojpuri singers Khesari Lal, Ritesh Pandey hit sour notes; Maithili Thakur steals the show

“I have built that house with great hard work. I don't know what God wants; everything is going wrong with me... Will I become a Master or Professor after studying in Ram Mandir? Devotion is a different matter. Education is important; through education, you can run a country. Build a temple, build a mosque, but also work for the future of children. Will we vote for Trump for that? No. I stand by my statement,” Khesari Lal Yadav said.

When Khesari Lal defended “Jungle Raj”

Ahead of the voting in the Bihar Election 2025, Khesari Lal Yadav defended the “Jungle Raj,” which has often been linked to Nitish Kumar's rule in the state, when he said that at least people survived by paying ransom.

The statement came as several BJP leaders warned Bihar voters of a return to jungle raj if the Mahagathbandhan is voted to power.

Khesari Lal Yadav said, “Lalu's jungle raj was better; people at least survived by paying money. Today, human lives have no value. No leader is wrong; people are wrong. It's not about murder or kidnapping - it is about employment. If we don't get the jobs done, we will end up seeking livelihood even in death. Give us enough employment, and we would not need to commit murder or demand ransom.”

Khesari Lal Yadav has also created controversy by speaking about how Akshara Singh has accused the Bhojpuri film industry of being male-dominated. The Bhojpuri actor rejected the accusations, indicating that the woman actors in the Bhojpuri film industry have done well because of the men.

“If she has achieved this much, isn't it also due to the men in the industry? If she claims that men ruined her career, then who helped her build it to this point? Ask her that sometime. Is there no contribution from men? People forget our contributions,” he said.

Chapra Election Result: Election Commission trends

According to the Election Commission of India (ECI), Chhoti Kumari from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is leading in the seat with a margin of 2094 votes. She has so far won 18,555 votes. Khesari Lal Yadav, Rakhi Gupta and Jai Prakash Singh are trailing in the seat.