Bihar bypolls | RJD retains Mokama seat, BJP retains Gopalganj
The Hindu
RJD’s Neelam Devi defeated BJP’s Sonam Devi to win Mokama seat by over 16,000 votes; BJP’s Kusum Devi polled 70,032 votes to win RJD’s Mohan Gupta in Gopalganj
Both the ruling Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Opposition Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) retained their respective seats of Mokama and Gopalganj in the bypolls in Bihar.
In Mokama Assembly constituency, RJD candidate Neelam Devi defeated BJP candidate Sonam Devi by over 16,000 votes.
Neelam Devi is wife of imprisoned bahubali (strongman) Anant Singh and Sonam Devi is wife of Nalini Ranjan Singh alias Lallan Singh. Both the candidates were from upper caste Bhumihar community.
In Gopalganj Assembly constituency, BJP candidate Kusum Devi defeated RJD candidate Mohan Prasad Gupta in a fiercely fought bypoll by a thin margin of over 2,000 votes. Kusum Devi is wife of former BJP MLA and Minister Subhas Singh.
The bypoll in Mokama was necessitated after sitting Rashtriya Janata Dal MLA and bahubali (strongman) Anant Singh alias Chhote Sarkar (mini government) was convicted in an arms seizure case and sentenced to 10 years of prison. Mr. Singh has been representing the seat since 2005.
“In Mokama it was an election based on personalities instead of parties and the comfortable win of Neelam Devi was a foregone conclusion as Anant Singh has become a more popular personality in the area in terms of muscle power and easy accessibility to the local residents, than others,” local journalist Birendra Kumar told The Hindu.
In Gopalganj the bypoll was held after sitting BJP legislator Subhash Singh’s death after a prolonged illness.
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