Ranchi: Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) candidate Somesh Chandra Soren was leading by 2,164 votes over his nearest rival Ramdas Murmu of the JLKM in the by-election to the Ghatshila assembly seat in Jharkhand’s East Singhbhum district on Friday, officials said.
After the first round of counting, the JMM candidate secured 5,450 votes, while the JLKM nominee got 3,286 votes.
The counting of votes for the Ghatshila bypoll began at 8 am at the Jamshedpur Cooperative College, amid tight security arrangements, the official said.
A 74.63 per cent voter turnout was recorded in the bypoll on November 11.
East Singhbhum District Election Officer (DEO)-cum-Deputy Commissioner (DC) Karn Satyarthi said the counting is underway.
A total of 20 rounds of counting will be conducted on 19 tables, he said.
Thirteen candidates are in the fray, but the main contest is likely to be between Somesh Chandra Soren of the JMM and the BJP’s Babulal Soren, son of former chief minister Champai Soren.
Somesh is the son of JMM MLA Ramdas Soren, whose death on August 15 necessitated the bypoll.
