RAIPUR: The ruling BJP in Chhattisgarh retained Raipur City (South) Assembly by poll, winning by a margin of 46167 votes against the Congress.
Former BJP MP Sunil Soni secured 89220 votes and defeated his nearest rival Congress’ Akash Sharma who got 43053 votes. Soni maintained a consistent lead when the counting of votes began.
The by-election was held in the constituency on November 13. The voter turnout was 50.50 per cent.
Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai congratulating Soni cited the victory as “historic” and stated that the result indicates approval by the electorates on the achievements of the BJP government in the state in the past 11 months.
The strength of BJP in the 90-member House remained at 54 with this victory. The Congress has 35 MLAs and the remaining one legislator is from Gondwana Gantantra Party.
The Raipur City (South) assembly seat fell vacant after a senior BJP leader Brijmohan Agrawal, an eight-time MLA, got elected as a member of parliament from the Raipur Lok Sabha seat.
The assembly segment has female voters with over 1.37 lakh outnumbered men having strength of 1.33 lakh.