MP bypoll: BJP retains Garoth Assembly seat

Bhopal: BJP on Tuesday retained Garoth Assembly seat in Madhya Pradesh's Mandsaur district albeit with a reduced margin as compared to the 2013 elections. The by-election at the seat was necessitated due to the death of BJP MLA Rajesh Yadav following illness.

BJP candidate Chander Singh Sisodia won the bypoll by defeating Congress' Subhash Kumar Sojatia with a margin of 12,945 votes, an election officer said. The BJP had won the seat in 2013 Assembly election by a margin of 25,755 votes, he said.

A total of 1,55,934 voters exercised their franchise in the bypoll. In the 2013 election, 1,63,892 votes were polled at the seat. Eight candidates were in fray for the bypoll, but the main contest was between BJP's Sisodia and Congress nominee Sojatia.