The by-election has witnessed a direct contest between BJP candidate Ashutosh Tiwari and Congress nominee Ghanshyam SinghDatia: Congress candidate Ghanshyam Singh is leading over BJP candidate Ashutosh Tiwari by 6,583 votes after eight rounds of vote counting on Monday. In the initial couple of rounds, Tiwari was ahead of Singh. After the completion of the sixth of 15 rounds of counting, Singh secured 25,856 votes, while Tiwari bagged 24,070 votes, the officials said. The by-election has witnessed a direct contest between BJP candidate Ashutosh Tiwari and Congress nominee Ghanshyam Singh. Ahead of the counting, BJP District President Raghuveer Sharan Kushwaha criticised the Congress and expressed confidence in the BJP's prospects.