Raipur, May 13: BJP candidate Dinesh Kashyap today defeated his nearest rival Lakhma Kawasi of Congress by over 85,000 votes to win the bypoll to Naxal-hit Bastar Lok Sabha constituency in Chhattisgarh.
Elections officials in Bastar district told PTI by phone that Kashyap defeated Kawasi by over 85,000 votes to win the tribal-dominated constituency spread over four districts. A formal declaration of the rusult will be made soon, they said.
Dinesh is the son of former Bastar MP Baliram Kashyap, whose death necessitated the bypoll held on May 8.
Lakma is the sitting Congress legislator from Konta (ST). Bastar Collector and Election Officer P Anbalagan said counting of votes began this morning amid tight security at district headquarters at Jagdalpur, where a total of 16 counting rounds were held.
Eight Assembly segments of four districts - Bastar, Dantewada, Narayanpur and Bijapur - form the Bastar Parliamentary constituency. PTI
