Bihar Bypolls: Jolt for Nitish, Lalu Back in Business
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar suffered a major setback on Thursday with the opposition alliance of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) registering victories in eight of the 18 assembly seats, where by-elections were recently held.
While Nitish Kumar’s ruling Janata Dal-United (JD-U) notched wins in three segments (Triveniganj, Bagha and Dhoraiya) partners Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won two seats (Begusarai and Chainpur).
Congress, contesting without former allies — RJD and LJP – secured victories in two segments (Chenari and Simri Bakhtiarpur).
Former railway minister Lalu Prasad’s RJD won five segments (Bochaha, Kalyanpur, Phulwari Sharief, Aurai and Ramgarh), former union minister Ram Vilas Paswan’s LJP emerged triumphant on three seats (Warisnagar, Araria and Bodh Gaya).
The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) won the Nautan assembly constituency.
Shanti Sharma, an independent won the Ghosi constituency.
Results from the Munger constituency were still awaited but reports suggested that the RJD was leading over the NDA candidate in the area.
The two phased by-elections, widely considered a mini-referendum ahead of state assembly elections next year, were held on Sep 10 and 15.
