INDIA Bloc Bags 4 Seats While BJP Rest 3; Major Boost For Opposition Parties In Six-State Bypolls

Of the seven contested seats, three were previously held by the BJP, while the remaining four were held by the Samajwadi Party, CPI(M), JMM, and the Congress.

Outlook Web Desk

Updated on: 8 September 2023 10:00 am

An Indian woman has her finger inked by an elections worker

The by-election results for seven assembly seats in six states declared on Friday were a mixed bag for the BJP and the opposition INDIA bloc, with the saffron party winning three seats and one each going to its rivals Congress, JMM and TMC and Samajwadi Party.

Vote counting commenced at 8 am on Friday for seven bye-elections spanning six states, including Jharkhand, Kerala, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and West Bengal. Representing a significant test for the opposition alliance, INDIA, as they face off against the BJP-led NDA. This election is viewed as a crucial precursor to the upcoming state elections later this year and the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

Uttar Pradesh

Samajwadi Party candidate Sudhakar Singh secured victory in the Ghosi assembly bypoll in Uttar Pradesh with a margin of over 42,000 votes over BJP rival Dara Singh Chauhan according to the Election Commission (EC).

In Uttar Pradesh's Ghosi, there was a united front presented by the INDIA bloc during the by-election, with a voter turnout of 50.77 percent. The seat was vacated following the resignation of Samajwadi Party (SP) MLA and OBC leader Dara Singh Chauhan, who rejoined the BJP.

Tripura

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) emerged victorious in the by-elections for the Dhanpur and Boxanagar assembly seats, both located in Tripura's Sepahijala district. The Election Commission (EC) has officially confirmed this election outcome.

In Tripura, votes for both Boxanagar and Dhanpur seats were counted at Sonamura Girls' HS School. CPI(M) alleged large-scale rigging in the two constituencies during voting and announced a boycott of the counting process.

Kerala

Chandy Oommen, representing the Congress party, clinched victory in the Puthuppally assembly seat in Kerala, according to sources within the Election Commission (EC).

Kerala's Puthuppally, where a fierce battle unfolded to fill the seat vacated by the late Congress stalwart Oommen Chandy, is awaiting results. The constituency witnessed intense campaigning, and the counting of votes will commence at Baselius College. Postal and service ballots will be counted first, followed by electronic voting machines in 13 rounds. The total number of booths in Puthuppally was 182.

West Bengal

TMC clinches Dhupguri assembly seat in West Bengal's Jalpaiguri district, with college professor Nirmal Chandra Roy securing a 4,000-vote lead. The BJP's Tapasi Roy, widow of a CRPF jawan, came in second. CPI(M)'s Ishwar Chandra Roy, supported by Congress, trailed in third place.

Dhupguri in West Bengal, which experienced violence during previous elections, is under the watchful eye of central armed forces and state police. The voting turnout here was approximately 76 percent. CPI(M)'s Ishwar Chandra Roy is contesting for the Congress-Left alliance, while the ruling TMC has fielded Nirmal Chandra Roy. The bypoll was necessitated due to the passing of sitting BJP MLA Bishu Pada Ray.

Uttarakhand

In Uttarakhand's Bageshwar assembly seat, BJP's Parwati Dass triumphs over Congress' Basant Kumar by a significant margin of 2,405 votes. Dass secured 33,247 votes, while Kumar garnered 30,842, as confirmed by Bageshwar District Magistrate and Returning Officer Anuradha Pal.

The Bageshwar assembly bypoll in Uttarakhand saw the counting of votes at 14 tables with 130 polling personnel. The seat became vacant following the passing of MLA and cabinet minister Chandan Ram Das earlier this year.

Jharkhand

Bebi Devi of JMM secures a decisive victory in the Dumri assembly by-election, outpacing NDA's Yashoda Devi by a substantial margin of over 17,000 votes.

The JMM candidate who is also the INDIA bloc nominee got about 1,00,317 votes while NDA candidate Yashoda Devi got about 83,164 votes after the counting of 24 rounds of votes, the official said.

In Jharkhand's Dumri, a total of 64.84 percent of the 2.98 lakh voters exercised their right to vote. The election commission established the counting center at Krishi Bazar Samiti, Pachambha, Giridih district. The main contest is between Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)'s Bebi Devi and AJSU Party's Yashoda Devi, although AIMIM's Abdul Rizvi has worked to make it a triangular contest. Both INDIA and NDA fronts have claimed victory for their candidates.

Of the seven contested seats, three were previously held by the BJP, while the remaining four were held by the Samajwadi Party, CPI(M), JMM, and the Congress.