Congress candidate Rohit Thakur won Jubbal-Kotkhai state assembly bypoll by a margin of over 6103 votes defeating BJP rebel Chetan Bragta with BJP Neelam Sariak going to the poor third, revealed the sources in the election department.
Rohit Thakur won the seat from BJP by a margin of 6100 votes as the BJP rebel candidate Chetan Bragta cornered most of the sympathy votes marring any prospectus of BJP. BJP candidate Neelam Saraik lost her security deposits.
Thakur secured 52.85 per cent (29447) votes, more than those of Chetan Bragta, BJP rebel, who got 41 per cent (23344) votes and BJP candidate Neelam Saraik 4.64 per cent(2584), put together.
Chetan Bragta's supporters claimed that they would have retained the seat had the party given ticket to Chetan. Bragta. He rode high on the sympathy factor of his father late Narinder Bragta after BJP denied party ticket to him, raking up election slogan " hum hai seb wale (we are apple growers" and anti-BJP slogan.
But Rohit Thakur was on sound footing in Nawar and Jubbal belt and the Congress votes of pro-Virbhadra lobby did not spilt up as were eyed by Bragta's supporters, who had raised legacy of Virbhadra Singh in the election to seek the anti-Rohit votes, which did not happen, claimed his supporters.
In Arki Congress candidate Sanjay Awasthi was leading against BJP Rattan Pal by over 5600 votes.
In Fatehpur Congress candidate Bhawani Singh Pathania was ahead by over 1300 votes against BJP candidate Baldev Singh Thakur. BJP rebel and independent Dr Rajan Sushant, former BJP Kangra MP, got 8716 votes, marring chances of the BJP.
