NDA wins Nalanda, Bhagalpur by-polls in Bihar

Patna, Nov 9: The NDA today retained the two Lok Sabha seats in Bihar--Nalanda and Bhagalpur.

Former Union Minister and BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain romped home from Bhagalpur, while JD(U) leader Ramswaroop Prasad won from Nalanda.

Mr Hussain defeated his nearest rival RJD's Shakuni Choudhry, the former Bihar Minister. He polled 2.21 lakh votes against Mr Choudhry's 1.65 lakh votes. The BJP retained the seat.

JD(U)'s Ramswaroop Prasad defeated Arun Kumar, his own party rebel candidate contesting independently. Mr Prasad polled a little over 1.67 lakh votes, while Mr Kumar had to remain satisfied with about fifty thousand votes. The JD(U) has retained the seat.

The by-election was necessitated as Chief Minister Nitish Kumar vacated the Nalanda seat and his deputy Sushil Kumar the Bhagalpur seat after resuming power in the state. Polling in both the seats was held on November 6 amid tight security arrangements.

With todays result the number of JD (U) MPs from Bihar swelled to 7 and that of BJP to 6.

Apart from Mr Shakuni Choudhry and Mr Arun Kumar, CPI (M) candidate and former MP Subodh Rai, CPI nominee (also former MP) Gaya Singh and Samata party leader Brahmanand Mandal (former MP) faced debacle in the by elections. Mr Rai had thrown his hat in Bhagalpur while Mr Singh and Mr Mandal tried their luck in Nalanda.

Differences and internal bickering surfaced in the UPA fold in this by-election as its constituenct units, including LJP, CPI, CPM and NCP ventilated their grievances against one of their prominent ally the RJD. All of them trained their guns at RJD supremo and Railway Minister Lalu Prasad for toeing a separate line in the poll by fielding his own party candidate in Bhagalpur and by extending support to the JD(U) rebel candidate in Nalanda.

UNI

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