CPI(M) wins Assembly bypoll in Tripura

Agartala: Ruling CPI-M on Tuesday won the Birganj Assembly by-election in Tripura's Gomati district, with party candidate Parimal Debnath trouncing his nearest BJP candidate by a margin of 10,597 votes.

While Debnath secured 20,355 votes, BJP's Ranjit Das polled 9,758 votes. Congress candidate Chanchal De got only 1,231 votes and his deposit was forfeited, Returning Officer Debapriya Bardhan told reporters.

The by-poll was held on February 13. The seat had fallen vacant following the resignation of the Manoranjan Acharjee from the Assembly on December 10 last after he was expelled from CPI(M) on charges of moral turpitude.

Acharjee had allegedly molested an eight-year-old girl inside the party office at Amarpur sub-division late last year as per an FIR lodged against him, police said.