The BJP's Muslim face Union Minister Syed Shahnawaz Hussain lost to the Mohammed Taslimuddin in the Kishanganj Lok Sabha seat in Bihar.
Hussain, the lone Muslim minister in the outgoing BJP-led NDA government, had won the seat in 1999 by 8,648 votes.
Kishanganj may be one of the most illiterate districts in India with only 18 per female literacy.
Outside Jammu and Kashmir, except Lakshadweep, Kishanganj has the maximum concentration of Muslims. It has about 66% Muslim voters.