Bhojpuri singer-actor Pawan Singh is once again in the political spotlight after holding back-to-back meetings with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP national president JP Nadda. These high-profile meetings have fueled speculation that Singh is set to return to the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and could be fielded as a candidate in the upcoming Bihar assembly elections.

Singh’s political journey has been anything but smooth. A year ago, he was expelled from the BJP following a series of controversies. Initially, he was given a BJP ticket to contest the Lok Sabha polls from Asansol in West Bengal. However, amid backlash from the ruling Trinamool Congress over his past songs allegedly objectifying Bengali women, Singh abruptly withdrew his candidacy without explanation. He then contested the Karakat seat in Bihar as an Independent, defying BJP orders. Though he lost, he managed to secure a significant number of votes, finishing second behind CPI(ML)’s Raja Ram Singh, with NDA ally and Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) leader Upendra Kushwaha coming in third.

Despite their past differences, Singh recently met Kushwaha as part of reconciliation efforts. This meeting, along with his talks with BJP leaders, is being viewed as a strategic move to consolidate caste-based support—particularly among Rajputs and Koeris—across the politically crucial Sahabad region, which includes Bhojpur, Buxar, Kaimur, and Rohtas districts.

Sources indicate that Pawan Singh is likely to contest from one of the seven assembly seats in Bihar’s Bhojpur region, possibly from Ara or Barhara. His brother, Ranu Singh, confirmed that Pawan is keen on representing the NDA and is awaiting the party’s decision. BJP national general secretary Vinod Tawde also affirmed that Singh “is with the BJP and will remain so.”

Pawan Singh’s influence among Rajput voters could play a decisive role in the NDA’s fortunes. In 2020, the alliance won just two of the 22 seats in the region. His re-entry into the NDA fold could help the alliance regain lost ground by consolidating key voter blocs ahead of the crucial Bihar elections.