NEWS
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CAMPAIGN TRAIL
ISSUES '98
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CHAT

State:	Bihar
Constituency:	Darbhanga
Total Votes Polled:	628362
Winner: JD	Md. Ali Ashraf Fatmi	321828
Runner Up: BJP	Dhirendra Kumar Jha	217807
Margin: 104021 (16.77%)

In 1989 and 1991 the Congress held on to the second spot behind the Janata Dal, but in 1996 it was the BJP, cornering 35.12 % of the vote, that was pipped at the post. M A Ashraf Fatmi -- Laloo's righthand man -- has retained this seat the last two elections.