Former Jharkhand chief minister Babulal Marandi retained the Koderma Lok Sabha seat as an Independent on Thursday by a record 1,94,140 votes even as his Bharatiya Janata Party rival lost his security deposit.
Emerging victorious in a field of 14 candidates, Marandi defeated his nearest rival Manoj Yadav of the Congress, who was backed by the United Progressive Alliance.
While Marandi polled a total votes of 3,25,871 votes, Yadav polled 1,31,731 votes.
The BJP's Pranav Verma secured 1,15,892 votes only. Verma and other 11 candidates lost their security deposits.
Marandi's resignation from Lok Sabha in May after quitting the BJP due to differences with Arjun Munda necessitated the Koderma bypoll.
He had won the seat as a BJP candidate in 2004 general election by over 1.5 lakh votes at a time when all other 13 BJP candidates in Jharkhand, including former external affairs minister Yashwant Sinha bit the dust.
With BJP candidate Pranav Verma losing on Thursday, the party has no representation in the Lower House from Jharkhand.
This is the fourth time Marandi has won a Lok Sabha seat.
Previously, he won the Dumka Lok Sabha seat twice, defeating JMM chief Shibu Soren and his wife Rupi Soren, respectively.
Marandi, who heads the Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Democratic) had to fight as Independent candidate as his outfit was yet to be recognised by the Election Commission. His win will give a boost to his regional outfit.
