In a surprising turn of events, independent candidate Shankar Singh emerged victorious in the Rupauli assembly by-election, defeating JDU's Kaladhar Mandal and RJD's Bima Bharti by significant margins.
The recent by-election for the Rupauli assembly seat in Bihar's Purnia district saw independent candidate Shankar Singh secure victory with 68,070 votes, defeating JDU's Kaladhar Prasad Mandal by 8,246 votes. RJD candidate Bima Bharti finished a distant third, garnering only 30,619 votes.
Shankar Singh, from the Rajput community, triumphed over his rivals from the Extremely Backward Community (EBC), highlighting a significant shift in voter sentiment. Despite efforts from RJD to woo the EBC, neither Mallah nor Gangauta castes showed substantial support, leading to Tejashwi Yadav's second defeat in two months.
The Rupauli by-election results underscore the challenges facing RJD in securing EBC votes. Shankar Singh's victory as an independent candidate reflects shifting political dynamics in Bihar.