Mt Roskill voters turned off by Parmar's 'negative' campaign says Roshan Nauhria

Roshan Nauhria says he remains committed to contesting the general election next year, despite only getting 709 votes in the Mt Roskill byelection. Photo / Jason Oxenham

Most Indians who voted in the Mt Roskill byelection swung their support behind Labour's Michael Wood to keep National's Parmjeet Parmar out, the third-placed candidate says.

NZ People's Party founder and candidate Roshan Nauhria said he remained committed to contesting next year's general election despite being disappointed with his showing yesterday, getting 709 votes.

The businessman put tens of thousands of dollars into his own campaign that targeted the electorate's large Indian and Asian population.

He felt the community swung its support behind Labour's Michael Wood after being turned off by a "negative"campaign from Parmar.

"People just thought, the only way to teach a lesson to Parmjeet is to give votes to Michael Wood and make sure he will win it."

However, it was a protest outside of Parmar's office yesterday that caused a complaint to the Electoral Commission, which has been referred to Police.

"The Commission received a complaint about a protest march being held in the electorate," a spokeswoman said.

"The Commission notified police, and are enquiring whether a referral for a breach of section 197 of the Electoral Act should be made."

Two other complaints are being looked into, the spokeswoman said, but often people complain about activities that turn out to be legal.

A march along Stoddard Rd to Parmar's office yesterday was organised by the Migrant Workers Association, in protest at National's treatment of Indian students who are being deported because of fraudulent documents submitted by education agents in India. The protest was publicised to media by the Unite Union.

Wood was the favourite in yesterday's byelection but his team was thrilled with the size of his victory - capturing 66 per cent of the vote (11,170) to Parmar's 28 per cent (4652). Turnout was just under 39 per cent.

Special votes are yet to be counted.

In 2014, long-serving MP Phil Goff secured 57 per cent of the vote, to Parmar's 32 per cent.

Prime Minister John Key said this week Little's leadership couldn't survive if National's Parmjeet Parmar won Roskill - and Little last night singled out Key in his comments following Wood's victory.

"He came here flouncing around and he seemed to forget that the purpose of an election campaign is to win votes, not selfies."

Wood will now take the reins from Goff, who retired from Parliament to become Auckland Mayor.

Apart from a three-year break between 1990 and 1993, Goff has been the local MP since 1981, and had an 8000 majority in 2014.

In 2014, National got 14, 275 party votes - 2000 more than Labour - but one quarter of National voters opted for Goff.

With Goff's departure National was given a chance to run Wood close, but a Labour campaign that focussed on turning out its supporters has seen him easily fend off the challenge from Parmar.

Speaking to media at her event at Frolic cafe in Royal Oak last night, Parmar said she was disappointed but proud of her campaign: "History wasn't on my side and history was proven right."

She said she would be putting her name forward to contest the seat again.

Steven Joyce took the opportunity to have a dig at Little.

"I'd be keen for him to take as much as possible out of tonight but I don't think you can read too much into it -- it's a safe Labour seat. The Greens, New Zealand First didn't stand and it's never been done for a Government to win an opposition seat in a by-election."

Little pre-emptied that response in his speech to the caucus Labour crowd. Despite any "spin", he said National thought they could win, evidenced by the Prime Minister's seven trips to Roskill during the campaign.