BJP ahead in Araria and Bhabhua in Bihar bypolls

The BJP was leading in the Araria Lok Sabha seat and Bhabua Assembly constituency, while its ally, the ruling JD(U) in the state, was trailing behind the RJD candidate in the Jehanabad Assembly seat after three hours of counting for the by-elections in Bihar, officials said.

According to figures provided by the Election Commission at 11 am, Pradeep Kumar Singh of the BJP was leading by a margin of more than 4,000 votes in the Araria Lok Sabha constituency.Singh is locked in a straight battle with RJD's Sarfaraz Alam, whose father Mohd Taslimuddin's demise had necessitated the bypoll.

The BJP was



also leading in Bhabhua Assembly segment, where its candidate Rinky Rani Pandey was leading by a margin of over 2,500 votes.

The bypoll here was necessitated after the death of Pandey's husband Anand Bhushan Pandey. The Congress has fielded Shambhu Singh Patel from the seat.

In Jehanabad, RJD's Kumar Krishna Mohan alias Suday Yadav had established a substantial lead of more than 15,000 votes over his JD(U) rival Abhiram Sharma.

The bypoll in this Assembly seat has been necessitated after the death of Yadav's father Mundrika Singh Yadav.