Bihar bypolls: RJD retains Jehanabad, BJP holds on to Bhabhua

The RJD today retained the Jehanabad assembly seat and the BJP the Bhabhua constituency in bypolls in Bihar.

In the Araria Lok Sabha segment bypoll, the RJD has established a lead of more than 18,000 votes after the 13th round of counting of votes, election office sources said here.

In the Jehanabad assembly seat, RJD's Suday Yadav defeated his Janata Dal (United) rival Abhiram Sharma by more than 30,000 votes.

In Bhabhua, BJP's Rinki Rani Pandey defeated her Congress rival Shambhu Singh Patel by about 14,000 votes.

RJD's Sarfaraz Alam has established a lead of 18,000 votes over his nearest BJP adversary Pradip Kumar Singh in Araria after 13th round of counting of votes.

A total of 28 rounds of counting has to be completed before announcement of results of Araria.

Suday Yadav is the son of former state minister Mundrika Singh Yadav, whose death necessitated the bypoll.

Araria was represented by RJD Mohammad Taslimuddin whose death on September 17, 2017 necessitated the bypoll there.

The RJD candidate at Araria Sarfaraz Alam, who crossed over from JD(U) to Lalu Prasad's party to enter into fray in the bypoll, is son of Taslimuddin.

Defeat of JD(U) nominee Abhiram Sharma at Jehanabad is a bad news for Chief Minister Nitish Kumar who had in July last year dumped the Grand Alliance and joined hands with the BJP to form a coalition government.

From the opposition camp, while Lalu Prasad's party contested Araria and Jehanabad seats it gave Bhabhua to ally Congress in seat-sharing.