The BJP, the Shiv Sena and the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) have won one seat each in the Gujarat, the Maharashtra and the Haryana Assembly for which by-elections were held on January 20 and counting taken up on Saturday.
While the Shiv Sena wrested the Bhiwandi East seat in Maharashtra from the Samajwadi Party, the BJP and the INLD retained their seats in Chotila (Gujarat) and Ellenabad (Haryana) respectively.
Though the Election Commission had originally planned to hold the Assembly by-election from Pennagaram (Tamil Nadu) — needed following the death of DMK MLA P.N. Periannan — on the same date, it was rescinded later as the Opposition strongly objected to by-polls immediately after the Pongal holidays.
In Bhiwandi, Shiv Sena candidate Rupesh Mhatre won, defeating his nearest rival Farhan Azmi of the SP by a margin of 1,676 votes. Mr. Mhatre bagged 35,376 votes against Mr. Azmi’s 33,700. The seat was originally held by Abu Asim Azmi, father of Farhan Azmi. Later, the senior Azmi resigned from the seat as he had won from both Mankhurd (Mumbai suburb) and Bhiwandi East in the October 13 Assembly elections.
In Ellenabad, INLD president Om Prakash Chautala’s younger son Abhay Singh Chautala defeated Congress rival Bharat Singh Beniwal by a margin of 6,227 votes. While Mr. Abhay Singh Chautala secured 64,813 votes, the Congress candidate got 58,586 .
The vacancy was caused due to the resignation of Mr. Om Prakash Chautala , who had won from both Ellenabad and Uchana Kalan in the recent Assembly elections, and preferred to keep the latter.
In Chotila, BJP nominee Bharat Khorani won the seat defeating his nearest Shiv Sena rival Shivji Chauhan by a margin of 22,368 votes. The poll was necessitated following the death of BJP MLA Vashram Khorani. Congress candidate Niratben Dhoriya came third.
