Ahead of Bihar assembly elections, several Bhojpuri singers had released songs in support of RJD, or such old song had resurfaced and went viral. While supporters releasing songs in favour of their political parties is no uncommon, what was striking was that these singers were hinting at return of jungle raj if RJD-Congress alliance wins the elections. After the crushing defeat in the elections, the RJD has now decided that these songs didn’t help the party.

As per reports, RJD has issued legal notice to such singers on the orders of Tejashwi Yadav, saying that the songs mentioned the name of the party and party leaders without authorisation. Reportedly, such legal notices have been issued to 32 singers from Bihar and other states, while other reports say that 12 Bhojpuri singers have been served the notices.

The legal notice asks the singers to provide proof that they had permission to use the name of RJD or RJD leaders. If they can’t furnish such evidence, FIR will be issued against them, the party threatens. Moreover, RJD will also file defamation suits against the singers, who are actually RJD supporters and released the songs in support of the party.

RJD spokesperson Priyanka Bharti said, “The RJD will send notices to all singers who have used party flags or party symbols, or taken the names of leaders without consulting the party leadership. Additionally, the RJD will send notices to those who have used leadership names to spread casteism or demean specific communities.”

However, Priyanka Bharti alleged that BJP was behind the resurfacing of the songs to defame RJD. She alleged that most of these singers have direct ties with BJP. She said that the songs defamed RJD and Tejaswhi Yadav, and sang negative songs about the Yadav community.

The songs contained violent and threatening lyrics, glorifying guns, kidnapping and violence, and promoted Yadav supremacy. While some songs threatened kidnapping after RJD wins, others offered people to become mafia dons. Such songs were released not only by RJD supporters, but also by RJD members. One such was actor and RJD candidate from Chhapra, Khesari Lal Yadav, who featured in a casteist song promoting ‘Yadav supremacy’.

During election rallies in Bihar, PM Modi mentioned this phenomenon of RJD playing songs about theft, pistols, and double-barrel guns in election rallies. In a rally in Bhabua, PM Modi had mentioned a song ‘Marab sixer ke, chah goli chati me’, talking about the ‘sixer of shooting six bullets in the chest’.

“This is their way. This is their plan,” PM Modi had said, adding that if anyone questions RJD, they will be shot at.

While a large number of such songs were released by several singers ahead of the elections, the list of singers who have been served legal notices by RJD is not known yet. However, one of them could be singer Tuntun Yadav, the singer of the song ‘Marab sixer ke’ mentioned by PM Modi in his speech. Although the song was released in 2022, it was widely used during the election campaign.

इस भोजपुरी गायक का नाम टुनटुन यादव है, इन्हीं का गाना मोदी जी मंच से गाए थे,
सिक्सर के छः गोली, कट्टा से ठोक देंम
तेजस्वी जी बुरी तरह से हारने के बाद के बाद जो गायक RJD को बदनाम किया है सबको लीगल नोटिस दे दिए,
किसी को न छोड़ो चाहे यादव हो या अन्य जाति, मेरे हिसाब से अच्छा किए ये… pic.twitter.com/oAJBMrhvjL

— Gautam (@GautamBhartiye) November 23, 2025

Tuntun Yadav acknowledged that his song is now being targeted by RJD, and said that if ‘his party’ wants, he is ready to delete the song. Talking to media, he said, “I never sang any song against the party. But if the government, if our party levels allegations against us, I will accept that willingly, and I will correct myself. If required I will delete my song. If I should not sing such song, I will not sing.”

Importantly, Tuntun Yadav identified RJD as ‘my party’, making it clear that he is a supporter or member of the party.

Some other singers who sang such Bhojpuri songs promoting RJD and violence include Deepak Raj Yadav, Gandhi Lal Yadav, Saurav Yadav, Gautam Yadav, Khushi Kakkar, Khushbu Raj and others.

RJD finally realises the songs reminded people of Jungle Raj?

The infamous ‘jungle raj’ of RJD and Lalu family ended in 2005, when Rabri Devi was defeated by Nitish Kumar’s JD(U). RJD leaders were perhaps hoping that people have forgotten the dark days of Bihar, and it was a good idea to entice the voters with lures of open use of guns, kidnapping and other forms of violence. The songs went viral on social media, were played on the streets and even in election rallies, which means RJD had no objection to them before the elections.

While the songs were not officially commissioned by RJD, they were made by the singers themselves, the fact that the songs were played at party gatherings, and party supporters had shared of the reels of songs extensively, ties the party closely with the songs.

However, by issuing the legal notices to singers after the defeat in the polls, the party has acknowledged that the songs hurt them. They have now realised that the songs remined people, including the Dalits and people from economically backward class, about the jungle raj, when kidnapping and looting was institutionalised during the days of Lalu Prasad Yadav and Rabri Yadav.

The party’s allegation these songs were actually planted by BJP to harm RJD does not stand, as most of the singers are self-declared supporters of RJD. Khesari Lal Yadav, who acted in such a song, was RJD candidate from Chhapra, while Tuntun Yadav referred to RJD as ‘my party’. Deepak Raj Yadav has made several songs glorifying RJD and the Lalu family. Similarly, almost all singers who made such songs sang in support of RJD. Official videos of many such songs also included the symbol of RJD, leaving no doubt about the political affiliations of people behind the songs.

Moreover, the fact remains that songs were played at gatherings of RJD workers, and were widely shared by RJD supporters on social media.