The Bharatiya Janata Party wrested the Kurhani assembly seat in Bihar on Thursday, dealing a blow to the Nitish Kumar-led ruling grand alliance in the state.
IMAGE: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar with Janata Dal-United national President Lalan Singh and the JD-U's parliamentary board chairman Upendra Kushwaha during the JD-U state council meeting at the Karpoori Thakur auditorium in Patna, November 27, 2022. Photograph: ANI Photo
BJP candidate Kedar Prasad Gupta defeated Manoj Singh Kushwaha of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal-United by 3,645 votes in Kurhani.
In the cliffhanger of a contest, Gupta polled 76,653 votes while Kushwaha finished with 73,008 votes.
The by-election was necessitated by the disqualification of Rashtriya Janata Dal MLA Anil Kumar Sahani. The RJD is a constituent of the ruling Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) in Bihar.