Agencies | New Delhi:
Counting of votes for six by-elections—five Assembly constituencies and one Lok Sabha seat—is scheduled for Friday, with political attention focused on West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Assam. The results are expected to indicate voter sentiment and the strength of competing political formations in the four regions.
The by-elections followed vacancies caused by resignations and changes in political affiliations. Voters turned out in significant numbers across several constituencies, with polling percentages exceeding 80 per cent in five of the six seats.
West Bengal’s Nandigram and Rejinagar Assembly constituencies are among the closely watched seats. Nandigram went to a bypoll after Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari vacated the constituency to retain Bhabanipur.
The BJP fielded Hasirani Rath against Congress candidate Milan Pradhan, who received support from the Trinamool Congress (TMC) camp. Candidates from the CPI and another TMC faction also contested the seat.
Rejinagar witnessed a multi-cornered contest involving the BJP, TMC, Congress, CPI(M) and the Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP).
According to the reported polling figures, Nandigram recorded a turnout of 80.89 per cent, while Rejinagar registered 80 per cent. The results will offer an indication of the performance of the parties in these constituencies.
In Tamil Nadu, the reserved Assembly constituencies of Madurantakam and Dharapuram recorded turnouts of 86.26 per cent and 80.30 per cent, respectively.
The bypolls are significant for Chief Minister and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) leader C. Joseph Vijay. Both seats were vacated by former AIADMK legislators who joined the TVK and are contesting again under its banner.
The contests involve the TVK, DMK, AIADMK and CPI, making the results a measure of the parties’ performance in the two constituencies.
In Puducherry, votes are being counted for the Thattanchavady Assembly constituency, which fell vacant after Chief Minister N. Rangasamy relinquished the seat to retain Mangalam.
The constituency recorded a turnout of 80.81 per cent. The result will determine its next representative and provide an indication of voter sentiment in the Union Territory.
In Assam, attention is on the Nagaon Lok Sabha constituency, where polling turnout stood at 76.19 per cent.
The seat fell vacant after sitting Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi left the party and joined the BJP. The contest features BJP candidate Debashish Sharma, Congress nominee Sibamoni Bora and All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) chief Badruddin Ajmal.
The outcome is being watched for what it may reveal about electoral support for the three contenders in central Assam.
Polling figures across the six constituencies
- Madurantakam, Tamil Nadu: 86.26 per cent
- Nandigram, West Bengal: 80.89 per cent
- Thattanchavady, Puducherry: 80.81 per cent
- Dharapuram, Tamil Nadu: 80.30 per cent
- Rejinagar, West Bengal: 80 per cent
- Nagaon Lok Sabha, Assam: 76.19 per cent
The counting process will determine the winners in all six constituencies. The results are expected to shape the immediate political picture in the respective regions, although their wider significance will depend on the margins of victory and the performance of the competing parties.
