Madhepura (Bihar): Controversial former MP Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav today (Oct 16, 2004) won the by-poll for the Madhepur parliamentary constituency by a huge margin of more than two lakh votes to raise the RJD's (Rashtriya Janata Dal) tally in the Lok Sabha to 24.

Pappu Yadav defeated his nearest JDU (Janata Dal United) rival R P Yadav by a margin of 2,08,860 votes in the keenly watched contest.

While Pappu Yadav, who recently switched over to the RJD to contest the Lok Sabha by-election after parting company with the Lok Janshakti Party of Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan, secured 3,65,948 votes, his rival former MP R P Yadav pocketed 1,57,088 votes. Rest seven candidates forfeited their deposit.

RJD had won 24 seats--22 in Bihar and two in Jharkhand--in the general elections. Railway Minister and RJD president Laloo Prasad, who had won from both Madhepura and Chapra, decided to retain the later necessitating the by-poll.

Pappu Yadav, who is lodged in the high-security Beur jail in Patna at present in connection with the CPM (Communist Party of India-Marxist) MLA Ajit Sarkar murder case, had lost last Lok Sabha poll from Purnea to the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) on an LJP (Lok Janshakti Party) ticket. His wife and LJP nominee Ranjita Ranjan, however, emerged victorious from the adjoining Saharsa Lok Sabha constituency.