BJP candidate leads in Keshkal bypoll

Jagdalpur, Chhattisgarh, Feb 7 (UNI) BJP nominee Sevakram Netam was leading by 13,139 votes ahead of his nearest rival Congress candidate Budhsan Markam after the fifth round of counting of votes polled during the Assembly by-election in Keshkal constituency in naxalism-affected tribal Bastar district.

Three independents -- Mr Naviram Soni, Mr Mahesh Thakur and Mr Sonu Ram Naik -- are also in the fray.

An estimated 62 per cent of 1.47 lakh voters had exercised their franchise on February 4 in the Assembly by-election.

The by-election was necessitated following the death of BJP MLA Mahesh Baghel, who was also a parliamentary secretary in the Raman Singh government, in a road accident about four months back.

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