MP bypoll results 2018: Congress retains both Mungaoli and Kolaras assembly seats

BHOPAL: The Congress on Wednesday retained both Mungaoli and Kolaras assembly seats in BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh. Congress won the Mungaoli Assembly with its candidate Brajendra Singh Yadav beating BJP candidate Baisahab Yadav by a margin of 2,124 votes. In Kolaras, Congress candidate Mahendra Singh Yadav prevailed over Devendra Jain of the BJP by 8,083 votes. In Mungaoli, Congress's Brajendra Singh Yadav got 70,808 votes while the BJP candidate, Baisahab Yadav, bagged 68,684. While Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan led the BJP campaign with a host of ministers, Congress MP Jyotiraditya Scindia led the opposition attack.

My heartiest congrats to Brijendra Singh Yadav for this hard-fought, well-earned victory! My deepest gratitude to people of #Mungaoli for reposing their faith & to our Congress family who tirelessly dedicated themselves & made this victory possible- thank you! 1 down, 1 to go!

— Jyotiraditya Scindia (@JM_Scindia) February 28, 2018

A total of 22 candidates from Mungaoli were in the fray for the February 24 polls. Counting of votes began in the morning with the BJP leading in the first round. However, the Congress candidate surged ahead from second round onwards and maintained the lead till the seventh round. Baisahab Yadav again caught up and left his opponent behind between the 12 to 15th rounds. In the last round, the Congress managed to gain a lead again, retaining the seat. Notably, the Congress had won the seat by a margin of 20,765 votes in the previous election. The bypoll, held on February 24, was necessitated due to the death of Congress's MLA Mahendra Singh Kalukheda. The BJP that has been in power for 15 years in the state pitched for development in the Congress bastion. Having lost two assembly bypolls to the Congress last year, the BJP was keen on recovering lost ground.