Neha Sharma’s Star Power Translate Into Votes in Bihar

Bollywood actor Neha Sharma, who boasts 20 million Instagram followers, has swapped her usual brand promotions for campaign Reels, cruising through Bhagalpur in an open jeep alongside her father, Congress MLA Ajeet Sharma. The glamorous roadshow has earned her praise as a “Brahmastra” and “trump card” from excited voters. However, election history suggests that star power may not translate into victory at the ballot box.

A History of Narrow Victories and Electoral Defeats

Ajeet Sharma’s political journey shows razor-thin margins and mixed fortunes despite his daughter’s celebrity status. In the 2020 Bihar Assembly election, Sharma won by a mere 1,113 votes—less than 0.7% of total votes cast. His 65,502 votes barely edged past BJP candidate Rohit Pandey’s 64,389 votes, largely benefiting from LJP candidate Nilam Devi’s 20,000 votes splitting the opposition.

The 2024 Lok Sabha Election Reality Check

The actor’s presence failed to deliver in last year’s Lok Sabha contest. Despite Neha’s Instagram Reels, selfies with voters, and open jeep roadshows, Sharma lost decisively to JDU candidate Ajay Kumar Mandal by 1,06,646 votes. While Sharma secured 40.5% of votes, Mandal commanded 50.4%, a significant gap no campaign glamour could bridge.

Now, defending his Bhagalpur Assembly seat in 2025, Ajeet Sharma faces another uphill battle. Skeptical locals commented on social media that they’d predict another return for Neha Sharma’s campaign—in 2029. The question remains: will Bollywood star appeal overcome electoral mathematics this time?