PM downplays Hisar by-polls defeat

Pretoria, Oct 18 (ANI): A day after the Congress Party suffered a humiliating defeat in the Hisar by-polls, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh today rubbished suggestions that the party's defeat in the Lok Sabha by-election be considered a referendum on the performance of the government or the party.

"One by-election in a particular part of the country cannot be considered a referendum on the performance of the government or on the Congress party," Dr. Singh told media persons here.

Haryana Janhit Congress-Bharatiya Janata Party alliance candidate Kuldeep Bishnoi won the Hisar by-election on Monday, defeating his nearest rival Ajay Chautala of the INLD by a margin of 6,323 votes.

Former Haryana Chief Minister Bhajan Lal's son Bishnoi, whose Haryana Janhit Congress (HJC) tied up with BJP, secured 3,55,941 votes followed by Chautala with 3,49,618 votes and way behind was Jai Parkash, who polled 1,49,785 votes.

Ruling Congress nominee and three-time MP from Hisar Jai Parkash finished third. He had won the seat last in 2004 as Congress nominee.

There were in all 40 candidates, mostly independents, in the fray.

The Hisar seat was considered significant, as Team Anna had aggressively campaigned against the Congress Party there.

The Hisar seat fell vacant after the death of former Haryana Chief Minister Bhajan Lal in June this year. By Naveen Kapoor (ANI)