Amarwara assembly bypoll: After 10th round, Cong leads by 5,634 votes over BJP

Chhindwara: Congress’ Dhiren Shah Inwati has established a lead of 5,634 votes over BJP’s Kamlesh Shah after the 10th round of counting in Madhya Pradesh’s Amarwara assembly constituency that went to bypoll on Wednesday, an official said.

Invati polled 41,161 votes against Shah’s 35,527 after the 10th round of counting was completed, the official said.

Devraman Bhalavi of the Gondwana Gantantra Party (GGP) polled 16,710 votes.

The bypoll in Amarwara became necessary after three-time Congress MLA Kamlesh Shah crossed over to the BJP on March 29 this year.

BJP has fielded him as its candidate.

The byelection to this Scheduled Tribes-reserved seat in Chhindwara district is prestigious for both the ruling BJP and opposition Congress as Chhindwara was considered a stronghold of senior Congress leader Kamal Nath until recently.

Congress (Shah) had won from Amarwara in the 2023 assembly elections, but the BJP's Vivek Bunty Sahu won the Chhindwara Lok Sabha seat this time by defeating Nath's son Nakul Nath.

Votes are being counted at the two halls of Government PG College Bhawan, Chhindwara, the official said, adding that the exercise will be completed after 20 rounds.

A three-tier security system has been put in place at the counting venues, the official added.

The GGP had won the Amarwara seat in 2003, while the Congress had represented it nine times. The BJP had emerged victorious in Amarwara in 1972, 1990 and 2008.