Bihar Bypolls: RJD Retains Stronghold Mokama, BJP Win In Gopalganj

With a margin of 16,741 votes, Rashtriya Janata Dal candidate Neelam Devi has successfully managed to register her victory at the Mokama assembly by-election in Bihar.

Mokama, which has always been a stronghold of Neelam Devi's husband Anant Singh since 2005, had seen a major contest between BJP and RJD as it was the first election that took place after Chief Minister Nitish Kumar parted his ways with BJP and joined hands with RJD and Congress to form a Grand Alliance government, here.

The disqualification of Anant Singh in Arms Act case had necessitated the by-elections here for which the BJP had fielded Sonam Devi as its candidate who garnered a total of 62,939 votes.

Notably, Neelam Devi won the seat with 79,646 votes.

Earlier in the day, Neelam Devi had said that her victory was certain and this election has merely been a "formality".

"My victory was certain. I had already said there is nobody else in my contest. It was just a formality. Mokama is the land of Parshuram, people won't get lured. Vidhayak ji (Anant Singh) had served the people. They are giving the result now," RJD's Neelam Devi said.

Meanwhile, in the Gopalganj constituency of the state, RJD's Mohan Prasad Gupta was defeated by BJP candidate Kusum Devi with a margin of 1,794 votes despite taking an early lead and witnessing a neck-and-neck fight here.

Kusum Devi said that she will carry forward the incomplete development works here.

"The entire Gopalganj district is with me. Victory for everyone is my victory. I will carry forward the development work that did not get completed. I was blessed by everyone," BJP's Kusum Devi said after winning the Gopalganj by-election.

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Notably, this was the first face-off between BJP and Mahagathbandhan ever since it was formed in Bihar as Nitish Kumar took oath for the eighth time here by joining hands with JDU, Conrgress, and other political parties in the state.

National General Secretary (Org) BL Santosh congratulated the BJP for registering victory in Bihar's Gopalganj and Gola Gokarannath in Uttar Pradesh.

He called the win a "huge victory" of BJP leaders here.

"Huge wins for @BJP4India candidates Sri Aman Giri in Gol Gorakhnath , UP & Smt Kusum Devi in Gopalganj , Bihar . Congratulations Team @BJP4UP & Team @BJP4Bihar. Victory is specially sweet in Bihar where BJP was up against united ruling coalition," his tweet read.

BJP candidate Aman Giri registered his victory in the Gola Gokarannath seat in Uttar Pradesh defeating Samajwadi Party's Vinay Tiwari.

The BJP was seeking to retain the Gola Gokarannath seat in Uttar Pradesh, which fell vacant after the death of BJP MLA Arvind Giri in September.

With the BSP and the Congress keeping away from the by-polls, the fight was between the BJP's Aman Giri and the SP candidate and former Gola Gokarannath MLA Vinay Tiwari.

The Uttar Pradesh BJP congratulated Aman Giri and wished him a successful tenure ahead.

"Many congratulations and best wishes to Shri Aman Giri on his victory in Gola Gokarnath by-election. We wish you a successful tenure," the UP BJP said in a Hindi tweet.

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