A pre-poll battle between the ruling party JMM and opposition BJP ended on Monday when the former won and later faced defeat in the Gandey Assembly constituency in Jharkhand. 

The victory of JMM was evident in the form of nomination filed by Kalpana Soren for Gandey by-poll which was challenged by the BJP in the office of the Election Commission of India. 

Gandey seat fell vacant after JMM MLA resigned on January 2 necessitating by poll. The term of the current Assembly ends in November- December. 

Since seven months were left, the BJP had appealed to ECI not to hold a by-poll. This was opposed by the JMM asking it to hold the poll. In response, ECI ordered by poll. 

This prompted Kalpana Soren, wife of ex-CM Hemant Soren, who is in jail on charges of money laundering linked with a land scam, filed nomination papers as a JMM candidate for the Gandey Assembly seat. Kalpana Murmu Soren who met father-in-law Shibu Soren and mother-in-law Rupi Soren on Sunday was accompanied by Chief Minister Champai Soren and other leaders of India Block. 

JMM officials and workers were also present during the nomination. After this, they addressed a public meeting.

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