Bihar bypoll results HIGHLIGHTS | RJD wins Araria Lok Sabha seat, Jehanabad assembly seat; BJP wins Bhabua

The counting for the Bihar bypoll has concluded with the RJD emerging victor in the Araria Lok Sabha constituency and the Jehanabad assembly constituency. BJP managed to win the Bhubua assembly bypoll.

The counting of votes began at 8 AM amid tight security. Though initial trends favoured BJP candidate Pradip Singh in the Araria LS constituency, the tides turned in favour of RJD's Sarfaraz Alam after some time.

This was the first electoral battle in the state since Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who also heads the JD(U), walked out of the alliance with the RJD and the Congress and joined the BJP-led NDA last year.

ALSO READ: Bypolls for Araria Lok Sabha seat, two Assembly constituencies in Bihar record 54 percent voting

UPDATES OF BIHAR BYPOLL RESULTS

• It's 2 for RJD and 1 for BJP out of the three bypoll results which have been announced today. The RJD has been facing tough times after its ally JD(U) ditched their alliance to form a new partnership with the BJP. Adding to their woes, party leader Lalu Prasad Yadav was sentenced to jail in a fodder scam case. The bypoll wins will be a major boost for the RJD party.

• RJD has been on the backfoot after its ally JD(U) joined hands with BJP to form the government,  and the jail sentencing of its leader Lalu Prasad Yadav. This win will be a major boost for the RJD party.

• RJD's Sarafaraz Alam secured 509334 votes while BJP's Pradip Singh got 447346 votes

• The contest between RJD's Sarafaraz Alam and BJP's Pradip Singh ended with the RJD candidate defeating the BJP candidate by 61988 votes.

• 6.00 PM:  RJD wins Araria Lok Sabha bypoll 

BJP should stop working for its face value & instead put in efforts to work for the people. That's the only way in which they can improve or else they will face the same result in the 2019 elections as they have in this bypoll: Jitan Ram Manjhi on #Biharbypoll results pic.twitter.com/eqmqgjZlTR

— ANI (@ANI) March 14, 2018

• 4.30 PM: After 22 rounds of counting, RJD leads in Arari Lok Sabha seat by 57791 votes. RJD has amassed 4,46,179 votes at the end of the 22nd round while BJP is trailing with 3,88,388 votes.

• Rinki defeats Sambhu Patel of the Congress, a RJD ally, by 15,000 votes.

• 3.45 PM: BJP's Rinky Rani Pandey wins Bhabhua assembly bypoll.

• Suday Yadav defeats Janata Dal-United candidate Abhiram Sharma by 35,036 votes to win the Jehanabad constituency.

• 3.40 PM: RJD wins Jehanabad assembly bypoll. 

• 1.25 PM:  RJD extends lead in Araria Lok Sabha seat amassing 3,33,050 votes and leading by 23,187 votes ahead of BJP which is second with 3,09,863 votes.

• 1.20 PM: The lead status in both Bihar assembly constituency bypoll results remain the same with BJP leading in Bhabua with 40,501 votes and RJD leading in Jehanabad with 52,609 votes.

• 1 PM: In a reversal of trends, RJD now leads in the Araria Lok Sabha constituency with257108 votes, BJP falls behind and is second with 244957 votes.

• 12.30 PM; According to latest updates, BJP is leading in the Araria Lok Sabha constituency by 1749 votes after 10 rounds of counting. RJD is second

• 12.15 PM: The bypoll of two Bihar assembly seats has both main contenders evenly poised with BJP leading in Bhabua and RJD leading in Jehanabad.

• BJP has a lead of 19,378 votes after 8 rounds of counting in Bhabua.

• RJD is leading in Jehanabad after 10th round of counting with 29,551 votes.

• 11.05 AM : Assembly by-polls: BJP maintains lead in Bhabua by 2528 votes, RJD leading in Jehanabad by 8899 votes.

• 11 AM: Araria Lok Sabha by-poll: BJP leading by 8979 with 1,13,169 votes, RJD second with 1,04,190 votes.

• 10.20 AM: BJP leading by 2714 votes in Bhabua. RJD leading in Jehanabad.

• 10.15 AM:  Araria Lok Sabha by-poll: BJP leading with 58,225 votes, RJD second with 55,334.

• 9.50 AM: After third round of counting BJP is leading in Bhabua & RJD is leading in Jehanabad after second round of counting.

• 9.50 AM: BJP leading after second round of counting in Araria Lok Sabha by-poll. 

• 9.00 AM: BJP leading after first round of counting in Araria Lok Sabha by-poll.

EVMs opened at a counting centre in Bihar's Araria as counting of votes continues. pic.twitter.com/O4DQnJGu3P

— ANI (@ANI) March 14, 2018​​

• The by-election to the Araria seat was necessitated by the death of RJD MP Mohd Taslimuddin. The contest is mainly between RJD's Sarafaraz Alam, Taslimuddin's son, and BJP's Pradip Singh, who had won the seat in 2009 and lost in 2014.

• In Jehanabad, the RJD hopes to retain the Assembly seat that fell vacant after the death of Mundrika Yadav. The party gave ticket to Yadav's son Kumar Krishna Mohan.

• The saffron party fielded Pandey's wife Rinky Rani.

• The BJP is hopeful of retaining the Bhabhua Assembly seat riding on a sympathy wave for Anand Bhushan Pandey whose death at the age of 48 necessitated the bypoll .

• Counting for the Bihar Lok Sabha and assembly constituency bypolls begin at 8 AM.

Polling for Bihar’s Araria Lok Sabha seat and the Assembly constituencies of Jehanabad and Bhabhua passed off peacefully with an average 54 per cent voting on Sunday.

(With inputs from PTI)