MP by-polls: Congress leads in both Assembly seats

The Congress was leading in both the Madhya Pradesh assembly seats where by-elections were held last week, an official said.
In Kolaras constituency, Congress candidate Mahendra Singh Yadav maintained his lead, established in the first round. He was ahead by 1,331 votes after the end of the fourth round of counting, an election official said.
In Mungaoli, Congress' Brijendra Singh Yadav was ahead of his rival BJP candidate by 1,332 votes after the fourth round, he added.
The postal ballots were counted first, he said.
The outcome of the two by-polls, held on February 24, are being seen as a possible pointer to the mood of people ahead of the Assembly elections due later this year in the BJP-ruled state.

The by-polls were necessitated due to the death of Congress MLAs Mahendra Singh Kalukheda (Mungaoli in Ashoknagar district) and Ram Singh Yadav (Kolaras in Shivpuri district).
A total of 13 candidates are in the fray in Mungaoli while 22 candidates are contesting in Kolaras.
The BJP has fielded Baisahab Yadav from Mungaoli and Devendra Jain from Kolaras.