Patna, June 29 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), an alliance partner in Bihar's  Nitish Kumar government, retained the Purnia assembly seat in the state Wednesday, defeating the Congress.

 
 "BJP's Kiran Keshri was declared winner in the Purnia assembly bypolls," a district official said. She defeated her nearest rival of the Congress, Ramcharitra Yadav, by over 22,000 votes.
 
 She is the widow of late BJP legislator Raj Kishore Keshri who was stabbed to death by school teacher Rupam Pathak at his residence allegedly for sexually exploiting her. His death had necessitated the bypoll.
 
 A total of seven candidates were in the fray for the by-elections held June 25.
 
 It was the first bypoll after the Nitish Kumar-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) won the state assembly polls last year.