Patna: RJD candidate on Thursday defeated JD (U) candidate in a MLC by-election even as RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav contended that BJP-NDA wouldn't stand a chance anywhere if the votes were cast through ballot papers.
It is the NDA`s first defeat in any election after Nitish Kumar moved to Rajya Sabha and stepped down as chief minister. The RJD candidate emerged victorious in the by-election for the Bhojpur-cum-Buxar Local Authorities' constituency. Votes were cast last Tuesday.
Following the RJD's lackluster performance in the 2025 Bihar assembly elections, the victory in the by-election is seen as a morale boost for Tejashwi and his party
The seat had fallen vacant following the resignation of the then-MLC, Radhacharan Sah. He had stepped down after being elected as MLA from Sandesh constituency in Bhojpur district. JD (U) had fielded Radhacharan Sah's son, Kanhaiya Prasad while RJD candidate Sonu Kumar Rai, son of former MLC Lal Das Rai and the son-in-law of former RJD MLA Vijendra Yadav.
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Meanwhile, Tejashwi while congratulating the RJD candidate over his victory, wrote on ‘X, “In the Bhojpur-Buxar MLC by-election, RJD candidate Shri Sonu Ray has dealt a crushing defeat to the NDA candidate. Heartfelt congratulations and thanks to all workers, voters, and leaders on the victory of the RJD candidate. We have been saying from the very beginning that if elections were held today in the country and state using ballot papers instead of machines, the BJP-NDA wouldn't stand a chance anywhere.”
“In the Bihar elections, we won more than 150 seats through postal ballot papers, but we were defeated through the machinations of the system, conspiracies, and deceit. These days, even on counting day, election results are declared as late as 1-2 a.m. In the past, counting ballot papers also took just as much time. So why not conduct elections using ballot papers instead of EVMs now, to uphold democratic transparency and public trust in the democracy? And yes, we have always supported voting through EVMs even after winning. Once again, congratulations on the victory,” he added.
