Ranchi, Sep 8 (IANS): Opposition bloc INDIA won election to the Jharkhand's Dumri Assembly seat with its constituent Jharkhand Mukti Morcha's (JMM) candidate Bebi Devi defeating her nearest rival by over 17,000 votes.

Bebi Devi, supported by INDIA bloc, defeated AJSU party nominee Yashoda Devi, who was backed by NDA.

Baby Devi, who is a Minister of Prohibition and Exercise, was inducted in the Hemant Soren cabinet before being elected to the Assembly. To continue serving as minister, she needed to win this election.

She will become 12th female MLA in the 82-member state Assembly, highest number of lawmakers from the fairer sex.

Chief Minister Hemant Soren congratulated her on her win.

Baby Devi said the people of the state have given tribute to her late husband Jagarnath Mahto, and it is a win of the public and her husband.

The assembly election was necessitated in Dumri following the demise of state Education Minister Jagarnath Mahto in March. Jagarnath had won from Dumri four times since 2005.

Around 64.84 voter turnout was recorded in the polling conducted on Tuesday.

Besides Baby Devi and Yashoda Devi, AIMIM candidate Abdul Mobin Rizvi, Independent candidates Roshan Lal Turi, Kamal Prasad Sahu and Narayan Giri were in the fray.