Mumbai: The political landscape in Bihar is heating up ahead of the upcoming assembly elections, with controversies and celebrity involvement adding colour to the campaign.

Padma Shri awardee and four-time National Award-winning actor Manoj Bajpayee recently found himself embroiled in a political storm after a doctored campaign video surfaced online. The video, allegedly created by the IT wing of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), used Bajpayee’s likeness without his permission to promote the party’s electoral agenda.

Tejashwi Yadav, son of RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, shared the manipulated clip on his X account. The video, which has since been deleted, attempted to project support for the RJD ahead of the polls.

Reacting strongly, Bajpayee condemned the move, accusing the party of unethical conduct for misusing a video originally shot for a streaming platform. Quoting Tejashwi Yadav’s post, the actor wrote a detailed statement clarifying his stance.

He said, “I would like to publicly state that I have no association or allegiance with any political party. The video being circulated is a fake, patched-up edit of an ad I did for @PrimeVideoIN. I sincerely appeal to everyone sharing it to stop spreading such distorted content and urge people not to engage with or encourage such misleading content.”

As tensions rise, the battle lines in Bihar’s political arena continue to blur between cinema and politics. On Thursday, Tejashwi Yadav welcomed Bhojpuri star Khesari Lal Yadav and his wife Chanda Devi into the RJD, marking the actor’s official entry into politics. Khesari Lal, who also recently launched a devotional YouTube channel, appears to be steering his career toward spirituality and social activism.

Meanwhile, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is facing its own turbulence. Actor and politician Pawan Singh, who recently rejoined the NDA, became the centre of a personal controversy after his wife, Jyoti Singh, went live on Instagram accusing him of harassment and adultery. 

Responding to the allegations, Singh issued a clarification through a lengthy note in Hindi on Instagram, claiming that his wife was attempting to exploit his public image for political advantage.

The upcoming Bihar Assembly election, which will decide the 18th Legislative Assembly, will be held in two phases — on 6 November and 11 November 2025 — across all 243 constituencies. The first phase will cover 121 seats and the second 122. Results will be declared on 14 November 2025, coinciding with the birth anniversary of India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. IANS