Shibu Soren loses key by-election

RANCHI: Jharkhand Chief Minister and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) chief Shibu Soren on Thursday lost a key assembly by-election he needed to win to remain in his post, officials said.

Soren lost from Tamar constituency by about 9,000 votes to Raja Peter of the Jharkhand Party, a member of the ruling alliance led by the JMM, Election Commission officials said.

Soren became chief minister in August last year and needed to be elected to the state assembly within a six month period that ends Feb 27.