The Bihar Assembly’s budget session has witnessed an unusual but striking development, with two newly elected women MLAs from the ruling alliance openly questioning their own government inside the House. Known for their forthright and assertive style, BJP MLA Maithili Thakur and Janata Dal (United) MLA Komal Singh have drawn attention by expressing dissatisfaction with official replies during Question Hour and cornering ministers over ground realities in their constituencies.

Both legislators are young, first-time MLAs and belong to the ruling coalition, making their aggressive questioning particularly notable.

Maithili Thakur Flags Poor State of Government Hospitals

BJP MLA from Alinagar, Maithili Thakur, raised serious concerns over the condition of government hospitals during the Assembly proceedings on Monday, February 9. Questioning Health Minister Mangal Pandey, she highlighted the dilapidated condition of the primary government hospital in her constituency.

Maithili Thakur told the House that the hospital building was in such a fragile state that a major accident could occur at any time. She described plaster falling from ceilings, deep cracks in walls and water seeping into wards during the monsoon. Despite these conditions, patients, pregnant women and children continue to be treated in the same building, she said, calling it a direct threat to lives.

Unhappy with the minister’s reply that the building only required repairs, the MLA said she was not satisfied with the response and urged the minister to reconsider the ground situation. She pointed out that healthcare services were being run from a small room, with no MBBS doctor currently posted, even though two were previously available.

Questioning the government’s priorities, Maithili Thakur asked why hospital infrastructure remained neglected despite annual increases in the health budget. She said shortages of doctors and medicines were serious issues, but unsafe hospital buildings posed an even greater danger.

The MLA further asked whether the government was waiting for an accident before constructing new buildings. Stressing that her intent was not political confrontation, she appealed to the Health Minister to resolve the issue in public interest, noting that she had observed his work in the health sector for many years.

In response, Health Minister Mangal Pandey said the government was aware of the condition of hospital buildings across the state. He stated that new buildings had been approved for several hospitals and renovation work was underway at many locations. However, Maithili Thakur countered that the hospital in her area had been listed for years without any visible progress, calling the assurances repetitive and disconnected from reality.

JDU MLA Komal Singh Questions Stadium Construction Claims

On February 3, a similar confrontation unfolded when JDU MLA Komal Singh raised questions about sports infrastructure in her Gaighat constituency during Question Hour. She rejected the written reply submitted by the Sports Department, stating that it did not reflect the situation on the ground.

Komal Singh said that the so-called stadiums mentioned in official records were actually school playgrounds at Jarang and Athwara High Schools, lacking basic facilities such as changing rooms, running tracks, football grounds or toilets. She urged the Sports Minister to personally inspect the sites and ensure proper stadium construction.

Responding to her allegations, Sports Minister and international shooter Shreyasi Singh informed the House that a stadium had been constructed in 2021 at a cost of ₹1.2 crore under the Chief Minister’s Sports Development Scheme. As the debate intensified, the minister offered to conduct a joint site visit with the MLA and assured corrective action if shortcomings were found. The assurance helped ease tensions in the House.

Young Faces, Strong Voices

Komal Singh, 30, is the youngest MLA from Muzaffarpur district, having won the Gaighat seat in the 2025 Assembly elections by defeating an RJD candidate with a margin of over 23,000 votes. She comes from a prominent political family—her father is a JDU MLC and her mother a sitting Lok Sabha MP.

Maithili Thakur, a well-known folk singer before entering politics, won her first election from Alinagar after joining the BJP last year.

The assertive interventions by both MLAs have sparked discussion in political circles, with many viewing their actions as a sign of a new generation of legislators willing to challenge the system—even when it means questioning their own government on the Assembly floor.