Bihar bypoll: RJD clinches Bochahan Assembly seat, BJP distant second

Amar Paswan, son of Musafir Paswan whose death necessitated the by-election, polled 82,562 votes. His nearest rival Beby Kumari of BJP got 45,909 votes.
RJD supporter flashes victory sign. (File Photo | PTI)
RJD supporter flashes victory sign. (File Photo | PTI)

PATNA: The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) candidate Amar Paswan has clinched the Bochaha assembly seat after defeating his BJP rival by an impressive 36,653 votes. The by-election had been held on April 12.

Amar Paswan, son of Musafir Paswan whose death necessitated the by-election, polled 82,562 votes. His nearest rival Beby Kumari of BJP got 45,909 votes while Geeta Kumari of Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) got 29,279 votes. The late Musafir Paswan was with the VIP, a BJP and NDA ally until recently.

Altogether 13 contestants were in the fray. Of them, three were women.

Amar Paswan thanked the people of the constituency for reposing their faith in him.

"It's a mandate against the corruption and misrule of the NDA government in the state. Though efforts were made to divert the attention of voters on one pretext or the other, the people reposed their faith in the leadership of RJD leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav," Amar said.

Earlier, the RJD thanked the voters of the Bochaha assembly constituency for showing their faith in the leadership of Tejashwi.

"The results of the Bochaha by-election are a reflection of the people's mood. The people of the state are fed up with the ruling dispensation," RJD state chief Jagadanand Singh said.

He said the people once again gave their verdict in favour of RJD. Tejashwi had campaigned for Amar Paswan.

The Bochaha assembly seat had become a prestige issue for the BJP. However, it bit the dust as a section of the upper caste (read Bhumihars) opposed the fielding of Beby Kumari as the party's candidate in the by-election.

"We thank the voters of Bochaha assembly constituency for their support to the party and its candidate. We accept the mandate of the people and will see what led to the debacle at the hustings," BJP state chief Dr Sanjay Jaisawal said.

The VIP chief Mukesh Sahani, who was shown the door and dropped from the council of ministers, expressed satisfaction with the by-election results.

"I congratulate the people of Bochaha for their support extended to our candidate," he told the media after the result was declared.

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