The ruling JD(U) today retained Kalyanpur (SC) assembly seat in Bihar's Samastipur district as its candidate Manju Devi defeated her nearest LJP rival Rekha Devi by a margin of 16,432 votes, an election commission official said.
She polled 59,325 votes as against 42,893 votes secured by the LJP candidate, while the Congress' Anita Ram stood third with 8,221 votes, Deputy Chief Electoral Officer (DCEO) Baiju Singh said.
The CPI(M-L) Liberation candidate Jivachh Paswan came a distant fourth polling 4,352 votes.
There were altogether eight candidates, including six women, in fray for the by-poll held for Kalyanpur (SC) assembly seat that had fallen vacant following the death of the JD(U) MLA Ramsevak Hazari.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar congratulated the JD(U) candidate on her victory and described the poll outcome as the blessings of the people of Kalyanpur (SC) assembly seat towards his party and the candidate.
Kumar said that the result has vindicated public faith in his government and also the fact that the opposition has been put in its place despite carrying out canard against the NDA government over the past eight-nine months.
