Savitri Mandavi creates history in Bhanupratappur by-poll

Raipur: Congress candidate Savitri Mandavi registered a landslide victory in Bhanupratappur by-election by 21,171 votes. She not only defeated arch-rival BJP candidate Brahmanand Netam, but also proved everyone wrong that it was a three-cornered contest.

Mrs Mandavi, the wife of Congress MLA Manoj Singh Mandavi, polled 65,479 votes, while Mr Netam secured 44,308 votes. Independent candidate Akbar Korram managed 23,417 votes.

It is the Congress’s fifth consecutive victory in the by-poll in Chhattisgarh. Earlier, the Grand Old Party had won Dantewada, Chitrakoot, Marwahi and Khairagarh by-elections.

With this win, the Congress now has 71 MLAs, the BJP has 14, Chhattisgarh Janata Congress (Jogi) has 3 and BSP has 2 MLAs in the Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly.

Industry Minister Kawasi Lakhma, who spearheaded and led the campaign, congratulated Congress candidate Savitri Mandavi on her historic win.

State Congress Chief Mohan Markam, State Congress Media Chief Sushil Anand Shukla and others expressed gratitude to the voters of Bhanupratappur legislative assembly for ensuring the Congress’s victory in the by-poll, saying it was predestined. The people have approved the welfare works carried out under the Bhupesh Baghel Government.

Meanwhile, the BJP accepted the mandate given by people, and said the party will analyse the results and review its poll strategy.