Bypoll results: Congress wins Himachal; NDA's victory in NE
The counting of votes for bypolls in three Lok Sabha constituencies and 29 Legislative Assembly constituencies in 13 states and the union territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli started on Tuesday. Trends show that Congress, BJP, and Shiv Sena are most likely to win one Lok Sabha constituency each. Elections for these 32 seats were held on Saturday. Here are more details.
Why does it matter?
Bypolls are held when an electoral seat falls vacant suddenly. Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Mandi, and Khandwa LS constituencies fell vacant after the sitting members died. Separately, bypolls were held in five Assembly constituencies in Assam; four in Bengal; three each in Himachal, Madhya Pradesh, and Meghalaya; two each in Bihar, Karnataka, and Rajasthan; and one each in Andhra, Haryana, Maharashtra, Mizoram, and Telangana.
Congress leading in Mandi, BJP ahead in Khandwa
Among the three Lok Sabha seats, Congress candidate Pratibha Singh is leading in Himachal Pradesh's Mandi over Kargil war hero Brigadier (Retd.) Khushal Thakur of the BJP. BJP candidate Gyaneshwar Patil is ahead in the Khandwa Lok Sabha seat in Madhya Pradesh. Shiv Sena's Kalaben Delkaris is leading in the Dadra and Nagar Haveli Lok Sabha seat.
BJP, allies won all seats in Assam
In Assam, the BJP and its ally are gaining in all five seats. The BJP won all the three seats it had contested from: Bhabanipur (Phanidhar Talukdar), Mariani (Rupjyoti Kurmi), Thowra (Sushanta Borgohain). Similarly, BJP ally UPPL's candidate Jiron Basumatary has won the Gossaigaon seat. UPPL's Jolen Daimary is also the leading candidate from the Tamulpur seat.
What are results in other northeastern states?
In Nagaland, the NDPP won the lone polling seat of Shamator Chessore. In Mizoram, the ruling MNF's K Laldawngliana won the lone polling seat of Tuirial. Out of the three polling seats in Meghalaya, the ruling NPP won two, while UDP won one.
Congress won all seats in Himachal; BJP secured MP
In Himachal Pradesh, Congress has won all three polling seats: Fatehpur (Bhawani Singh Pathania), Arki (Sanjay), and Jubbal-Kotkhai (Rohit Thakur). In MP, the BJP is leading in all two Assembly seats (Prithvipur and Jobat) and Congress is leading in Raigaon. In Rajasthan, Congress has won Dhariawad and is leading in Vallabhnagar. In Maharashtra, Congress has taken a safe lead from Deglur.
TMC leads in all 3 Bengal seats
Notably, Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress has won all four polling constituencies. Udaya Guha won from Dinhata, Braja Kishor Goswami from Santipur, Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay from Khardaha, and Subrata Mondal from Gosaba. Earlier in the day, TMC workers were seen celebrating the party's success as the counting progressed. Incidentally, the Election Commission has prohibited victory processions across states.
Trends in Karnataka, Bihar, Andhra
In Karnataka, the BJP has won the Sindgi seat, while the Opposition Congress has won the Hangal constituency. In Bihar, the JD(U) has won the Kusheshwar Asthan seat and has a narrow lead from Tarapur. Separately, YSR Congress party candidate Dr. Dasari Sudha has a secure lead from the Badvel Assembly seat in Andhra Pradesh.
