Jaipur, Dec 16 (IANS): The BJP won the election to the Rajasthan assembly from the Churu constituency Monday, taking its tally to 163 in the 200-member legislature.
Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Rajendra Singh Rathore defeated the Congress' Haji Maqbool Manddelia, who held the seat in the previous house, by a margin of over 24,00 votes.
While voting took place for 199 assembly constituencies on Dec 1, polling in Churu was deferred following death of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) candidate Jagdish Meghwal.
Polling took place Dec 13 and the turnout was estimated at 78.55 percent.
"The counting of votes was held today (Monday). Rathore secured 84,100 votes, while Maqbool bagged 60,098," a district election officer said.
Rathore is considered a close aide of Vasundhara Raje, who was sworn in the Rajasthan chief minister for the second time Dec 13 after the BJP wrested the state from the Congress.