Jind bypoll result: BJP wins high-stakes Haryana byelection, Congress' Surjewala finishes third

The BJP has won the high-stakes Jind bypoll in Haryana on Thursday with its candidate Krishan Middha defeating his nearest rival, Digvijay Singh Chautala of JJP, by over 12,000 votes.

The BJP has won the high-stakes Jind bypoll in Haryana on Thursday with its candidate Krishan Middha defeating his nearest rival, Digvijay Singh Chautala of JJP, by over 12,000 votes. (Image: PTI)

NEW DELHI: The BJP has won the high-stakes Jind bypoll in Haryana on Thursday with its candidate Krishan Middha defeating his nearest rival, Digvijay Singh Chautala of JJP, by over 12,000 votes. The BJP wrested the seat from the main opposition INLD. Middha won by a margin of 12,935 votes, Jind Deputy Commissioner-cum-Returning Officer Amit Khatri said. Congress national spokesman Randeep Surjewala had a poor outing, finishing third in a multi-cornered contest. He secured only 22,740 votes against the 50,566 bagged by the winning BJP candidate. Middha (48) is a BAMS doctor, whose father's death necessitated the bypoll. JJP was floated last month by Hisar MP Dushyant Chautala after a split in the INLD following a family feud.  He finshed second with 37,631 votes. Accepting defeat, Surjewala said: The Congress leader accepted defeat. "The people have given their mandate. We accept that. We will work for the development of Jind constituency," Surjewala, who is the Congress legislator from the Kaithal assembly seat, said. Twenty-one candidates, including two women, had contested the bypoll, which were held on January 28. A healthy voter turnout of 75.77 per cent was reported in the by-election to the Jind assembly constituency, dubbed as a prestige battle for the ruling BJP, the Congress and the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) ahead of the parliamentary and assembly polls. The bypoll was held just months ahead of the Lok Sabha and assembly elections in Haryana making it even more important. Arch rivals BJP, Congress, INLD and JJP were considering the results as a self-assessment exercise ahead of Lok Sabha polls this year.