The opposition Rashtriya Lok Samta Party (RLSP) on Tuesday won Bihar's Harlakhi legislative assembly by-election, officials here said.
Sudhansu Sekhar won the seat, defeating Congress candidate Mohammad Shabbir by over 18,000 votes. The Congress is part of the ruling Grand Alliance of Janata Dal-United and Rastriya Janata Dal.The RLSP was backed by the BJP-led NDA comprising of the Lok JanShakti Party of union minister Ram Vilas Paswan and Hindustan Awami Morcha of former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi.
The result of Harlakhi assembly by-elections that went in favour of the BJP-led NDA is seen as a setback to the ruling Grand Alliance.
State JD-U president Vashsisht Narain Singh refused to comment on the poll defeat.
The election was necessitated by the death RLSP legislator Basant Kumar Kushwaha a few hours ahead of the oath taking ceremony of the newly elected legislators at the Bihar legislative assembly in November 2015.
The RLSP fielded Kushwaha's son Sudhansu Sekhar in the by-poll.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
