Former Himachal Pradesh chief minister and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Prem Kumar Dhumal on Tuesday won Hamirpur Lok Sabha by-election defeating Congress candidate Ram Lal Thakur by over 80,000 votes.

The victory has dealt a blow to Congress party ahead of the state Assembly elections due in February next year.

While Dhumal polled 3,82,128 votes, his nearest Congress rival and state Forest Minister Ram Lal Thakur got 3,02,069 votes, Hamirpur Deputy Commissioner and Returning Officer Rajneesh Kumar told reporters in Hamirpur.

The four independents, who were also in the fray, lost their deposits, Kumar added.

By-election to Hamirpur parliamentary constituency was necessitated due to expulsion of BJP MP Suresh Chandel in "cash-for-question" scam.

Dhumal, who served as chief minister of the hill state from 1998 to 2003 is currently BJP's leader in the Legislative Assembly.

He had earlier won Lok Sabha elections from Hamirpur seat twice and lost as many times.

With Tuesday's defeat in the elections, Ram Lal Thakur has lost thrice from the constituency carved out of four districts of Hamirpur, Bilaspur, Una and Kangra.