Chandigarh, Nov 2 (PTI) INLD leader Abhay Singh Chautala described his win in the Ellenabad bypolls on Tuesday as a victory of farmers, a claim rejected by the ruling BJP who said his low victory margin shows people negated the issue over which he resigned from the Assembly.

Chautala had resigned from the state Assembly over the Centre's farm laws.

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He defeated his nearest rival Gobind Kanda of the BJP by a margin of 6,739 votes.

Among the 19 candidates, mostly Independents, Pawan Beniwal of the Congress stood at the third spot.

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Kanda, however, gave a close fight to Chautala.

Haryana's Home Minister and senior BJP leader Anil Vij said technically Abhay has won "but on moral ground he has lost".

"The issue on which he resigned from the Assembly has been completely negated by people of Ellenabad. If that issue was so strong, then his victory margin would have increased. The fact that his margin this time has come down proves that people have outrightly rejected the issue for which he resigned," said Vij.

The Congress has also been shown mirror by the people of Ellenabad, said Vij.

Abhay Chautala, however, alleged that the government misused official machinery and the powers that be lured the voters with money.

"Despite this, the government (ruling BJP-JJP) lost the poll. The chief minister should resign on moral grounds," Chautala told reporters in Sirsa after his win.

He then added, "This is not my victory. Tt is a win of farmers and people of Ellenabad."

Asked why his victory margin shrunk this time, Chautala said, "My margin was going to be very big, I would have won by over 50,000 votes had the BJP-JJP not indulged in horse-trading and had the Congress not colluded with them."

"Money power was used to lure voters, official machinery was misused. We made 15 complaints to the Election Commission, but we did not get any response," Abhay Chautala alleged.

They wanted to weaken the farmers' agitation and defame it but people taught them a lesson, he alleged.

"We demand an inquiry by a sitting judge into blatant misuse of official machinery," said Chautala.

Talking to reporters, Haryana BJP chief O P Dhankar said despite challenges, his party has fared well and is actually the only outfit which has gained.

"People's support for our party is increasing," said Dhankar.

"If any party has gained (in the bypoll), it is the BJP. Our vote share increased by 10 per cent," said Dhankar.

"I believe we faced the maximum challenge in these polls. From day one of filing of nominations to obstacles which were created during our campaigning, we thank the people of Ellenabad the way they voted for us," said Dhankar.

The top leadership of the BJP-JJP combine, including Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala, campaigned for Kanda.

Abhay Chautala said the Congress candidate had got 35,000 votes in 2019 Assembly polls from the constituency but he lost security deposit this time.

He said it was the second defeat which the BJP has suffered in a bypoll in Haryana during the past one year.

The Congress had retained the Baroda Assembly seat a year ago.

"When they brought farm ordinances, they lost the Baroda bypoll. Now, they lost another by-election when farmers have been agitating for one year," he said.

Replying to a question, Chautala said he had resigned in support of farmers so his step "gives strength to their agitation and pressure can be built so that these legislations are scrapped".

After the Diwali festival, Chautala said he will go to Delhi's Tikri and Singhu borders to meet the protesting farmers.

He also alleged that the BJP tried to divide people on caste basis and they had complained to the Election Commission in this regard.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)