EVM machines used for voting
BJP candidate Bhojraj Nag emerged victorious in the insurgency-affected Antagarh Assembly by-poll in Chhattisgarh after all the votes were counted on Saturday.
The by-election was necessitated after BJP legislator Vikram Usendi was elected to the Lok Sabha from Kanker seat.
Voting on this seat was held along with by-election to 32 other Assembly seats in nine states, where BJP lost 13 out of the 23 seats held by it in results declared on September 16.
The Congress, which has been struggling after facing a humiliating defeat in both Assembly and Lok Sabha elections in Chhattisgarh, had declared Manturam Pawar as its candidate from the seat anticipating a good show.
However, Mr Pawar surprisingly pulled out from the contest before the last day of withdrawal of nominations on August 29 following which he was expelled from the party.
Voter turnout of 58.73 per cent was recorded in the constituency with only two candidates in the fray including one of BJP which held the seat.
Even though 14 candidates had filed their nominations, post scrutiny and withdrawal of nominations, only two candidates remained - Bhojraj Nag from BJP and Rupdhar Pudo of Ambedkarite Party of India - in the contest.