JMM, Congress retain 2 Jharkhand Assembly seats in bypolls  

The ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and Congress on Tuesday retained both Dumka and Bermo Assembly seats for which bypolls were held.

JMM candidate Basant Soren won the Dumka seat, defeating BJP candidate and former Minister Louis Marandi by over 6,000 votes. Basant Soren secured 79,964 votes and Louis Marandi got 73,524 votes.

Basant Soren is the brother of Chief Minister Hemant Soren and son of JMM President Shibu Soren. Hemant's sister-in-law Sita Soren is a legislator from Jama.

The Dumka seat fell vacant after the Chief Minister vacated it after winning it in the Assembly polls in 2019. Hemant Soren had won from both Dumka and Barhet in 2019.

The Congress retained Bermo seat as party candidate Kumar Jaimangal defeated BJP's Yogeshwar Mahto 'Batul' by over 14,000 votes.

Jaimangal secured 92,751 votes as against BJP's 78,528 votes.

The Bermo seat fell vacant after the demise of Congress legislator Rajendra Prasad Singh. Jaimagal is his son.