LEFT Front-backed CPI(M) candidate Prabhat Chowdhury won the Manu (ST) assembly by-election by a decisive margin of nearly 16,000 votes. This is the biggest ever margin in the electoral history of this assembly segment. Except Congress candidate who narrowly saved his deposit, all the opposition candidates lost their deposits. The by-election to the constituency was necessitated after Jitendra Chowdhury vacated the seat following his election to the Lok Sabha. CPI(M) candidate Chowdhury polled 63.9% votes, which is 5.8% higher than the party’s vote share in this segment in the 2013 assembly elections. This result shows that the CPI(M) has further consolidated its support in this constituency. Chowdhury polled 21,759 votes, followed by Monglafru Mog (Congress) 5,788; Mithunjoy Tripura (IPFT) 3,018; Nirmal Kumar Tripura (BJP) 1,550; Angthai Mog (TMC) 1,110; and Kirti Mohan Tripura (INPT) 432 votes. The CPI(M) state secretariat, in a statement, congratulated the electorate for reposing their faith in the party by electing its candidate with a bigger margin. While expressing gratitude for this victory, the state secretariat stated that this popular verdict is the rejection of the political elements who are trying to foment the situation in the state with sectarian demand of a so-called tribal state. This verdict is also a rebuff to the misinformation and scandalous campaign of a section of the anti-Left media against the party and its candidate, the statement said.