Bhubaneswar, Dec 4 (IANS) Odisha’s ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) candidate Subash Gond Sunday won the bypoll to the Umerkote assembly constituency in Nabrangpur district, an official said.

Gond defeated his nearest rival — the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Dharmu Gond by more than 20,000 votes, a senior district administrative official told IANS.

Three candidates were in the fray for the Nov 30 by-election.

The bypoll for the seat, reserved for Scheduled Tribes, was necessitated by the killing of BJD member Jagabandhu Majhi by gunmen Sep 24.