BJP wins Purnia assembly bypoll in Bihar

Patna, Jun 29: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), an alliance partner in Bihar's Nitish Kumar government, retained the Purnia Assembly seat in the state on Wednesday, Jun 29 defeating the Congress.

BJP's Kiran Keshri emerged victorious by defeating her nearest LJP-supported Congress rival Ramcharitra Yadav by a margin of 23,665 votes. "BJP's Kiran Keshri was declared winner in the Purnia Assembly bypolls," a district official said.

She is the widow of late BJP legislator Raj Kishore Keshri who was stabbed to death by school teacher Rupam Pathak at his residence allegedly for sexually exploiting her. His death had necessitated the bypoll.

CPI-M nominee Amit Sarkar, son of slain party MLA Ajit Sarkar, finished third securing 17,113 votes.

Other contestants, Satish Sah (Ind) got 1,855 votes, Islamuddin (CPI-ML) got 1554 votes, Om Prakash Bhagat (JMM) bagged 898 votes and Krishna Kumar Jha (Ind) got 508 votes.

It was the first bypoll after the Nitish Kumar-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) won the state Assembly polls in 2010.

BJP national spokesperson Rajiv Pratap Rudy said the victory has proved that there has been "a performing government" in Bihar.

OneIndia News