Giriraj Singh Defeats Kanhaiya, Wins Begusarai by Over 4.2L Votes

Singh, who had moved to Begusarai from Nawada, got 6.88 lakh votes out of a total of 12.17 lakhs polled on 29 April

Union minister Giriraj Singh.

(File Photo: IANS)

Union minister and firebrand BJP leader Giriraj Singh retained the Begusarai seat in Bihar for his party, trouncing his nearest rival Kanhaiya Kumar of the CPI by a staggering margin of over four lakh votes.

Singh, who had moved to Begusarai from Nawada, after initial reluctance over having to give up his sitting seat, got 6.88 lakh votes out of a total of 12.17 lakhs polled on 29 April.

Kanhaiya Kumar, who made the headlines after being booked in a sedition case while he was the president of the JNU students union, polled 2.68 lakh votes.

RJD’s Tanveer Hassan, who was the runner-up in 2014, stood third with just 1.97 lakh votes.

The seat was won by BJP's Bhola Singh five years ago who died last year.

Notably, 20,408 voters in the constituency opted for NOTA.