MP assembly bypolls: BJP gains lead over Congress in Budhni, Vijaypur seats

Bhopal: The BJP is leading in the Budhni and Vijaypur assembly constituencies in Madhya Pradesh, where by-elections were held on November 13, officials said.

These trends were recorded in the initial rounds of counting.

According to an election official, BJP's Ramakant Bhargava is leading by 1,809 votes against Congress candidate Rajkumar Patel in Budhni after three rounds of counting.

Bhargava was earlier trailing by 953 votes after the second round of counting.

BJP candidate Ramniwas Rawat is leading by 5,001 votes against Congress Mukesh Malhotra after ten rounds of counting in the Vijaypur assembly seat.

The Budhni seat will see 13 rounds of counting, while there will be 21 rounds in Vijaypur.

The Budhni seat fell vacant after sitting BJP MLA and former CM Chouhan was elected to the Lok Sabha from Vidisha in June. The BJP stalwart was later inducted into the Union Cabinet and allocated the key agriculture portfolio.

The bypoll in Vijaypur was necessitated after sitting Congress MLA Ramniwas Rawat resigned and joined the ruling BJP.

He was later inducted as a minister in the Mohan Yadav cabinet. Rawat contested against tribal leader Mukesh Malhotra of the Congress.