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Latest update: As RJD claimed victory over the Jehanabad seat and Araria Lok Sabha seat, Tejashwi Yadav thanked the voters in Bihar. BJP’s Rinki Pandey has won Bhabhua seat with 15,490 votes. BJP candidate for Araria seat Pradeep Kumar Singh left the counting centre along with party workers in anticipation of defeat. Reacting to early trends, Lalu Prasad Yadav’s daughter Misa Bharti had said that the trends have announced the “end of Nitish Kumar’s politics.” Counting of votes for Araria Lok Sabha seat along with Bhabua and Jehanabad Assembly constituencies were held on Wednesday. The polling was held on Sunday for all three seats. This is the first electoral battle in the Bihar since Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who also heads the JD(U), walked out of the alliance with the RJD and the Congress and joined the BJP-led NDA last year. While the bypoll in Araria is being viewed as a test for the ruling JD(U)-BJP combine as well as the Opposition RJD-Congress alliance ahead of the big battle in the general elections due next year, the parties are looking forward to winning the Assembly seats ahead of the crucial Rajya Sabha polls. In Jehanabad, the RJD hopes to retain the Assembly seat that fell vacant after the death of Mundrika Yadav. The party gave a ticket to Yadav’s son Kumar Krishna Mohan. The BJP is hopeful of retaining the Bhabua Assembly seat riding on a sympathy wave for Anand Bhushan Pandey, whose death at the age of 48, necessitated the bypoll. The saffron party fielded Pandey’s wife Rinky Rani. The contest in Araria is mainly between RJD’s Sarafaraz Alam, Taslimuddin’s son, and BJP’s Pradip Singh, who had won the seat in 2009 and finished runner-up in 2014. The current bypoll equations are also likely to reflect in the seat-sharing between the BJP and the JD(U) for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Fifty-seven percent votes were recorded in Araria while the voter turnout was 54.03 percent and 50.06 percent in Jehanabad and Bhabhua respectively. The polling was by and large peaceful, the election official said. With inputs from agencies
Bihar By-Election Result 2018 updates: RJD bags Araria Lok Sabha seat by over 61,000 votes
Counting of votes for Araria Lok Sabha seat along with Bhabua and Jehanabad Assembly constituencies will be held on Wednesday.
 "Bihar By-Election Result 2018 updates: RJD bags Araria Lok Sabha seat by over 61,000 votes")
Bypolls don’t comment on affairs at central level, says Bihar BJP vice-president
Bihar’s BJP vice-president Devesh Kumar said, “The by-elections are driven by local factors and are no comment on the state affairs at the central level. We are sure of our win in Karnataka. As for the comment by Irfan Ahmed that our politics is hatred based, I don’t want to comment on such a frivolous statement.”
Asked if BJP’s only victory today, of widow of former MLA, was based on sympathy, he said, “The results of the bypolls have been largely driven by sympathy. For instance, in Araria, the ticket was allotted to Mohammed Taslimuddin’s son after his demise. The case is similar in Jehanabad and Bhabua. We have established a lead in four constituencies and the two where we have lost are Muslim-dominated. In 2014, we had lost elections in Araria by over 2 lakh votes, this time the margin has sunk very low. This has established that our social base has increased.”
Input by Namrata Gulati Sapra/101Reporters
RJD leaders gather at residence of former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi to reflect on the day’s results
Input by Vidya Sagar/101Reporters
Watch: Jahanabad’s new MLA Kumar Krishna Mohan (RJD) on his victory march
Vitdeo courtesy: Ganesh Prasad/101Reporters
Watch: Sarfaraz Alam credits Lalu Prasad’s ideas, voters’ love for his win in Araria
Araria’s new Member of Parliament, Sarfaraz Alam, talking to reporters said Lalu Prasad Yadav’s ideas and the common people’s love are the reason for his win. When asked what are his challenges going forward, he said, “There are no challenges in front of us. The one who works among the people, doesn’t worry about any kind of challenges. You think it was easy to win this time? From Delhi to Bihar, we could feel the influence of (BJP’s) money and power.”
Input by Ganesh Prasad/101Reporters
Watch: RJD’s Sarfaraz Alam accepts certificate of victory in Araria LS seat
Input by Ganesh Prasad/101Reporters
Tejashwi Yadav congratulated Samajwadi Party chief Akilesh Yadav over the phone on Uttar Pradesh bye-election results
Input by Vidya Sagar/101Reporters
RJD wins Araria LS seat
#Araria Lok Sabha bypoll: RJD wins by 61988 votes. RJD got 509334 votes and BJP got 447346 votes #Bihar
— ANI (@ANI) March 14, 2018
I was always confident of winning, says BJP’s Rinki Rani Pandey
After winning the Bhabhua seat, BJP’s Rinki Rani Pandey said, “Whatever promises I have made, I have set out to achieve them today. I will keep striving to achieve all of the promises I have made in the past. This is not my victory, this is the love of Bhabhua Vidhan Sabha constituency. I was always confident that I would win.”
Input by Ganesh Prasad/101Reporters
Watch: RJD’s Kumar Krishna Mohan alias Suday Yadav accepts certificate of victory in Jehanabad by-election
Input by Ganesh Prasad/101reporters
Watch: RJD workers celebrate as party appears set to win Araria bypoll
With Sarfaraz Alam (RJD) firmly in the lead, RJD supporters have brought out the colours and the revelry. Police have been trying to keep the celebrations calm.
Input by Ganesh Prasad/101Reporters
Tejashwi Yadav for Grand Alliance to defeat BJP at national level
RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Wednesday called for a Grand Alliance at the national level to defeat the BJP and said there was a need for opposition leaders to shed their ego.
“A Grand Alliance is the demand of time, it is the demand of the people. Keep your ego away,” Yadav said as the BJP lost the Lok Sabha seats of Phulpur and Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh and Araria in Bihar.
He said the Samajwadi Party and the BSP should fight the 2019 Lok Sabha polls together and urged the Congress to join them. “There is a need to teach a lesson to those who have destroyed the country,” Yadav said.
IANS
Visuals from Patna of RJD workers celebrating party’s performance in Bihar bypolls
Rashtriya Janata Dal leaders celebrate in Patna. #BiharByPoll pic.twitter.com/pdWa5J1FV3
— ANI (@ANI) March 14, 2018
Watch: Anticipating defeat, BJP candidate in Araria LS seat Pradeep Kumar Singh leaves counting centre with party workers
Input by Ganesh Prasad/101reporters
Bihar BJP chief claims state has given ‘sympathy vote’ this time
Bihar has given sympathy vote this time. I'd like to thank all those who've supported us. We welcome the mandate of people. We will certainly win the elections of 2019 under the leadership of PM Modi & BJP President Amit Shah: Nityanand Rai, BJP Bihar President pic.twitter.com/k9si0Oeic0
— ANI (@ANI) March 14, 2018
Former Bihar CM Jitan Ram Manjhi says BJP must improve to avoid defeat in 2019 LS polls
BJP should stop working for its face value & instead put in efforts to work for the people. That's the only way in which they can improve or else they will face the same result in the 2019 elections as they have in this bypoll: Jitan Ram Manjhi on #Biharbypoll results pic.twitter.com/eqmqgjZlTR
— ANI (@ANI) March 14, 2018
RJD maintains lead in Araria in 22nd round of counting
#Araria Lok Sabha by-poll: RJD leading by 57791 with 4,46,179 votes, BJP trailing with 3,88,388 votes after 22nd round of counting.
— ANI (@ANI) March 14, 2018
Tejashwi Yadav hails RJD’s performance in Bihar, calls it victory of Lalu Prasad’s ideology
“We thank the people of Bihar. This victory is the victory of Lalu’s ideology. People have given a befitting reply to opportunistic parties,” RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav told reporters after RJD candidate Kumar Krishna Mohan alias Suday Yadav defeated Abhiram Sharma (JDU) in Jehanabad bypoll.
Jo log kehte the ki Lalu ji khatam ho gaye hain aaj hum unko keh sakte hain ki Lalu ji ek vichaar dhara ka naam hai. Bihar ki janta ko iss jeet ke liye dhanyawaad deta hun aur saath hi Manjhi ji ko bhi dhanyawaad deta hun: Tejashwi Yadav on #Biharbypolls results pic.twitter.com/fRPIxzIClh
— ANI (@ANI) March 14, 2018
RJD workers take celebrations to the streets after their party’s win in Jehanabad
Kumar Krishna Mohan alias Suday Yadav defeated Abhiram Sharma (JDU) in the nail-biting election.
Input by Razi Anwar/101Reporters
Bhabua’s new MLA Rinki Rani Pandey (BJP) at counting hall
Image courtesy: Vidya Sagar/101Reporters
BJP’s Rinki Rani Pandey wins Bhabhua seat with 15,490 votes
Input by Indrajeet Singh/101Reporters
Mamata Banerjee wishes Lalu Prasad for ‘victory’ ahead of final round of counting
Congratulations to @laluprasadrjd Ji for winning #Araria and #Jehanabad This is a great victory
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) March 14, 2018
RJD leads in 2 seats, BJP in one
The RJD established leads in Araria Lok Sabha seat and Jehanabad Assembly constituency while the BJP was leading in Bhabhua Assembly seat in bypolls in Bihar.
According to election office sources, a total of 28 rounds of counting will take place for results of Araria Lok Sabha seat bypoll necessitated due to demise of RJD MP Mohammad Taslimuddin. Alam, who crossed over from JD(U) to Lalu Prasad’s party RJD to contest the bypoll, is son of Taslimuddin.
There were reports of police resorting to mild use of force outside the counting centre in Jehanabad as young RJD supporters indulged in boisterous jubilations over the news of their candidate Suday Yadav establishing an unassailable lead over former MLA and JD(U) nominee Abhiram Sharma.
PTI
RJD’s Misa Bharti says current trends in Bihar bypolls have announced end of Nitish Kumar’s politics
आज के रुझानों ने बिहार से नीतीश कुमार की राजनीति की समाप्ति की घोषणा कर दी। बिहार की जनता का उनके तिकड़म के प्रति क्रोध अब उनकी राजनीति के जाते जाते भी नहीं जाएगी।
— Dr. Misa Bharti - विजयी पाटलिपुत्र! ✌️ (@MisaBharti) March 14, 2018
CPI’s Irfan Ahmad Faatmi says Bihar bypoll results will impact 2019 Lok Sabha elections
Commenting on emerging trends in by-elections happening in Bihar, CPI state working committee member Irfan Ahmad Faatmi said these results will impact the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Voters in these constituencies have proved that they had favored Nitish Kumar in Assembly elections to stop BJP from coming to power, Ahmad said, adding that the chief minister had pressed his ministers and MLAs to campaign in Jehanabad by-election, but the voters have given a befitting reply to him.
Ahmad said the trend in Araria is also an answer to BJP state president Nityanand Rai’s comment that Sarfaraz’s victory will turn Araria into a hub of ISI and Pradip’s victory will turn into a citadel of nationalists. “People have rejected BJP’s hate politics,” he said. CPI had not fielded candidates offering support to RJD-Congress coalition in by-election.
Input from Vidya Sagar/101Reporters
NDA paying price for underestimating former Bihar CM Jitan Ram Manjhi, says Hindustani Awam Morcha
Hindustani Awam Morcha’s National spokesperson, E Ajay Yadav, reacting to the results of the Bihar by-elections, said that the NDA was paying the price for underestimating their party and its leader, the former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, who has a great hold on Jahanabad. “But NDA has chosen to ignore this and the result of that is in front of us today. If they had chosen Jitan Ram Manjhi as their candidate, it would have been a different day. The poor, Dalit communities consider him their leader. His joining the Mahagatbandhan has made the alliance stronger in the region. Not just in Bihar, now even the UPA will come back strong across the country. In Bihar, Nitish Kumar’s countdown has begun.”
Input by Vidya Sagar/101Reporters
Tejashwi Yadav’s earlier claim over release of incorrect results for Araria
10 rounds counting done in Araria, RJD is leading by margin but administration just showing results of 3 rounds. Why? How long they will hide the defeat of BJP& Nitish?
— Tejashwi Yadav (@yadavtejashwi) March 14, 2018
BJP leading in Bhabua with 40,501 votes
#Bihar Assembly by-poll: BJP leading in Bhabua with 40,501 votes, RJD leading in Jehanabad with 52,609 votes.
— ANI (@ANI) March 14, 2018
BJP leading in Bhabua
#BiharByPoll: BJP leading in Bhabua after 8th round of counting with 19,738 votes. RJD leading in Jehanabad after 10th round of counting with 29,551 votes.
— ANI (@ANI) March 14, 2018
Tight race in Araria
After 11 rounds of counting, the race is tight with RJD in the lead with 59,259 votes and BJP trailing with 57,850 votes. Sarfaraz Alam just overtook his BJP opponent who had been in the lead since the morning.
Input by Razi Anwar/101Reporters
Abhiram Sharma leaves counting centre
The JD(U) candidate is trailing in Jehanabad. Input by Ganesh Prasad/101 Reporters
BJP leading by over 2,500 votes in Bhabua
Rinki Rani Pandey of the BJP is ahead by 2,500 votes in Bhabua. The Congress’ Shambhu Singh Patel, who was offered the seat in the last minute after the RJD backed out, is in second place.
— Input by Umesh Keshar/101Reporters
RJD leads in Jehanabad
RJD’s Kumar Krishna Mohan alias Suday Yadav is in the lead at Jehanabad constituency, ahead of the JD(U). Mohan is the son of the previous sitting MLA, the RJD’s Mundrika Yadav.
— Ganesh Prasad/101 Reporters
Rinki Pandey of BJP builds up lead in Bhabua
After three rounds of counting, Rinki Rani Pandey of BJP is leading by 2,597 votes in Bhabua, while Shambhu Singh Patel of the Congress is in second place with 6105 votes. Rinki is the widowed wife of Anand Pandey, the former elected MLA of the constituency. The bypoll was necessitated following his death.
BJP leads in Bhabua, RJD in Jehanabad
#Bihar Assembly by-polls: After third round of counting BJP is leading in Bhabua & RJD is leading in Jehanabad after second round of counting.
— ANI (@ANI) March 14, 2018
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