Cong wrests Sidhi Lok Sabha seat from BJP by narrow margin

Bhopal, Mar 11 (UNI) In a nail-biting contest, the main opposition Congress emerged victorious in the Lok Sabha by-poll in Sidhi (ST) constituency wresting the seat from the BJP by a wafer-thin margin of 1,586 votes.

Congress candidate Manak Singh bagged 2,12,998 votes, whereas BJP candidate secured 2,11,412.

Gondwana Ganatantra Party nominee Hira Singh Markam managed 71,946 votes despite the fact that the party enjoys strong support from tribals. However, presence of the GGP candidate was being seen as the cause for the BJP's defeat.

BSP's Anante Singh secured 42,107 votes, while SP's Patiraj Singh received 17,243 votes. Eight other candidates lost their deposits.

After the eleventh phase of counting, the Congress candidate was leading by over 20,000 votes but after seven more phases of counting the difference shrank to 1,586 votes.

Meanwhile, the BJP demanded re-counting of votes polled in polling booths where more than 90 per cent voter turnout was recorded.

The Congress fought the by-election under leadership of Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh's MLA son Ajay. The HRD Minister could not take part in election campaigning because of ill-health.

UNI