Recap 2025: 5 Women Politicians Who Won the People's Mandate

By: WE Staff

Atishi Marlena - MLA, Leader of Opposition, Delhi

Atishi Marlena is the MLA from Kalkaji and currently serves as the Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Legislative Assembly, a position she assumed on 23 February 2025, becoming the first woman to hold the role in the capital’s political history.

A senior leader of the Aam Aadmi Party, she previously served as Chief Minister of Delhi from September 2024 to February 2025, succeeding Arvind Kejriwal. Earlier, she handled key cabinet portfolios including Education, Women & Child Development, Culture, Tourism, and PWD, earning recognition for spearheading school reforms, teacher training initiatives, and student-focused programs. An alumna of St. Stephen’s College, Delhi University, and an Oxford-educated Rhodes Scholar, she is known for her reformist approach and policy-driven leadership.

Maithili Thakur - Youngest MLA, Bihar

Maithili Thakur made history in November 2025 by becoming the youngest MLA in Bihar at just 25, after winning the Alinagar seat in Darbhanga on a BJP ticket. A celebrated classical and folk singer, she defeated RJD’s Binod Mishra, marking the first-ever BJP victory in the constituency.

Born in June 2000 into a musically inclined family, Maithili rose to national prominence through reality television and later built a massive following through devotional and folk performances in Maithili, Bhojpuri, and Hindi. Her transition from cultural icon to legislator symbolizes the growing convergence of art, youth, and governance. Seen as a fresh voice for young women and rural Bihar, her election reflects the BJP’s push for youthful, culturally rooted leadership and contributed to the NDA’s decisive mandate in the state.