More than four months after becoming Jharkhand Chief Minister, JMM supremo Shibu Soren was on Thursday defeated in an assembly bypoll plunging the state's ruling UPA into a crisis and threatening his continuance at the helm even as he tried to delay his resignation.

Soren was defeated by Gopal Krishna Patar, a candidate of Jharkhand Party which is a constituent of UPA, by a margin of 8,973 rpt 8,973 votes in the bypoll to Tamar constituency held on January three last, the counting for which was taken up on Thursday.

The JMM supremo sought to delay his resignation as Chief Minister by saying, "I will go to Delhi today or tomorrow and meet the UPA leadership, including RJD chief Lalu Prasad, there before taking any decision".

"I will also meet state UPA chairman Madhu Koda, and other allies and seek their suggestions before taking a decision," Soren added.

UPA sources said Soren is expected to leave for Delhi soon to discuss the situation with the Central leadership.

Deputy Chief Minister Sudhir Mahto said in Jamshedpur that the UPA government would continue in Jharkhand despite the defeat of Soren.

"We will try to make alternative arrangements to continue with the UPA dispensation in the state", he said adding UPA constituents would sit together soon and discuss the issue.

The Chief Minister's defeat by Patar was preceded by turmoil within his government barely a fortnight before the bye-election when Soren sacked Jharkhand Party leader Enos Ekka for refusing to withdraw his party's nominee in Tomar.