Patna, May 31 (IANS): After trailing in the initial round of counting, the opposition RJD has established a comfortable lead over the ruling JD-U in the bypolls to the Jokihat Assembly seat in Bihar on Thursday, according to Election Commission officials.

After 10 rounds of the ongoing ballot counting, Rashtriya Janata Dal candidate Shahbawaz Alam established the comfortable lead over Janata Dal-United's Murshid Alam.

The Jokikhat seat fell vacant following the resignation of JD-U MLA Sarfaraz Alam, who joined the RJD.

A third Independent candidate Mohammad Shabbir is also in the fray.

Voting for the seat took place on Monday.

The JD-U was backed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), while the RJD had the support of the Congress and Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) of former Chief Minister of Jitan Ram Manjhi.

Jokihat is a Muslim-dominated Assembly constituency, considered stronghold of former Union Minister and Shahnawaz Alam's father Mohammad Taslimuddin, who died last year leading to bypolls in Araria Lok Sabha seat.