For the first time since its major defeat in the Bihar Assembly Elections 2025, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has taken strong action. The party has issued show-cause notices to 32 Bhojpuri, Maithili, and Magahi singers and performers, accusing them of damaging the party’s image by singing songs linked to RJD without authorization.

The controversy began during the election campaign when Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioned certain viral songs in several of his rallies. He criticized the content, saying, “The government is not even formed yet and their supporters are already singing violent songs.” Songs like “Sixer ke chhah goli chhati mein” and “Lathiya ke jor se lantenwa” gained significant traction online and were widely perceived as pro-RJD campaign songs.

According to the RJD, these songs were deliberately promoted as party-approved, even though the party never endorsed them. None of these songs were shared from RJD’s official social media handles, the party clarified. RJD claims this was an orchestrated attempt to malign their image during the election.

RJD’s chief spokesperson Shakti Singh Yadav confirmed the notices, stating that several songs targeting caste groups and political parties were circulated to create a misleading narrative. He said, “These songs were imposed on our party without our approval. They were used to tarnish RJD’s image. We had no role in producing or promoting them.”

The notices ask the performers to explain why they used RJD’s name or the names of its leaders, Lalu Prasad Yadav and Tejashwi Yadav, in their songs. If their responses are found unsatisfactory, the party has warned of legal action, including defamation cases.

Among the 32 individuals, popular Bhojpuri singer Tuntun Yadav and several Maithili and Magahi artists are reportedly included. Some singers from outside Bihar are also said to be on the list. However, RJD has not yet released the complete list publicly.

This move is seen as RJD’s attempt to regain control over its public image after a disappointing election result. The coming days will reveal whether the singers defend themselves or the matter escalates into a courtroom battle.