The Hindu : National : NDA retains Nalanda, Bhagalpur

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Friday, Nov 10, 2006
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National

NDA retains Nalanda, Bhagalpur

Special Correspondent

PATNA: The National Democratic Alliance retained two Lok Sabha seats in Bihar but was badly mauled in Jharkhand in the by-elections held to the three constituencies on Monday last.

In Bihar, the JD(U) retained the Nalanda seat and the BJP held on to Bhagalpur, thanks to the division in the United Progressive Alliance ranks. Despite a division of votes, the BJP forfeited its deposit in Koderma in Jharkhand, which the former Chief Minister, Babu Lal Marandi, bagged with a margin of 1.94 lakh votes.

Mr. Marandi, who polled over 3.25 lakh votes, maintained that the people had rejected both the NDA and the UPA and demanded fresh elections to the Jharkhand Assembly. Congress nominee Manoj Yadav polled 1.31 lakh votes while the BJP nominee Pranav Kumar Verma was third with 1.15 lakh votes.

It was a cakewalk for the JD(U) nominee in Nalanda romping home with a margin of over 1.17 lakh votes in a one-sided battle. The JD(U) candidate Ram Swaroop Prasad secured 1.71 lakh votes, while the RJD backed independent candidate, Arun Kumar, got only 53,840 votes.

The BJP retained the Bhagalpur seat in a triangular contest.

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