Bypolls Today: Voting In 7 Assembly Seats In 6 States See Minor Incidents, INDIA Blocs Faces BJP In 1st Electoral Contest

In the first electoral contest since the formation of Opposition bloc INDIA, the voters on Tuesday exercised their franchise on seven assembly constituencies in six states in bypolls. High voter turnout was recorded in most of the seven assembly constituencies with Dhanpur in Tripura at the top with over 89 per cent voting. The bypolls were necessiated either by the deaths of sitting MLAs or their resignations. 

The seven bypolls were a test of the INDIA bloc as its unity as well as inner contradictions are at display. While the bloc has come up with a United Front in Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand, parties comprising the bloc are battling it out among themselves in West Bengal, Uttarakhand, and Kerala. 

Besides Uttar Pradesh (Ghosi) and Jharkhand (Dumri), the other seats up for bypolls are: Puthupally (Kerala), Boxanagar (Tripura), Dhanpur (Tripura), Dhupguri (West Bengal), Bageshwar (Uttarakhand). 

The polling started at around 7 am and votes are set to be counted on Friday. The bypolls witnessed minor incidents across states. 

As the bypolls are the first contest between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the INDIA coalition, it is seen as a battle of prestige and seats like Ghosi and Dumri witnessed campaigning from top leaders of both the blocs.

Uttar Pradesh

In the first electoral showdown in Uttar Pradesh after the formation of the opposition INDIA bloc, voting for the Ghosi assembly bypoll at 455 polling stations began at 7 am on Tuesday. According to the information officer of Mau, Dhanpal, a total of 50.30 per cent voters exercised their franchise till 6 pm, the closing time for polling.

In Uttar Pradesh, Ghosi seat fell vacant after the resignation of Samajwadi Party (SP) MLA and OBC leader Dara Singh Chauhan, who rejoined the BJP. He is the BJP's candidate and SP's Sudhakar Singh is contesting against him.

Campaigning has been high-pitched as both sides are aware that it is a litmus test for the opposition unity and a victory could set the trend in their favour for the Lok Sabha polls next year. In the 543-member Lok Sabha, Uttar Pradesh has 80 MPs.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath led the BJP's charge. Interestingly, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, who had skipped campaigning for the other two prestigious bypolls in Rampur and Azamgarh last year, addressed an election meeting in Ghosi. He said the election would bring a change in the country's politics.

Earlier on Tuesday, SP's national executive member Arvind Kumar Singh wrote to the Chief Election Commissioner alleging that Muslim voters in booth number 147 are not being allowed to vote by the polling officer. Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak rejected the SP's allegations, claiming that the opposition party was fearing defeat in the bypoll.

Despite their names being on the voter list, they are being told to go back since their votes have already been cast, alleged Singh, as per PTI, and the letter to CEC further claimed that when voters resisted, the police and polling officials "at the behest of the ruling BJP are using abusive words to drive them away". Singh also said that it is a criminal act to deprive any voter of his franchise.

SP leader alleges Muslim voters not allowed to vote at a booth

The SP's national executive member Arvind Kumar Singh has written to the Chief Election Commissioner alleging that Muslim voters in booth number 147 are not being allowed to vote by the polling officer. Despite their names being on the voter list, they are being told to go back since their votes have already been cast, he alleged. The letter claimed that when voters resisted, the police and polling officials "at the behest of the ruling BJP are using abusive words to drive them away". It is a criminal act to deprive any voter of his franchise, Singh said in the letter. It also alleged that Ravindra Nath, a village head, and Dharmendra Yadav, a polling agent, were being pressured to vote in favour of the BJP. Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak rejected the SP's allegations, claiming that the opposition party was fearing defeat in the bypoll.

West Bengal

In West Bengal's Dhupguri constituency, polling began amid tight security, at 7 a.m. across 260 booths. Around 76 per cent of 2.6 lakh eligible voters exercised their franchise in the Dhupguri assembly seat in Jalpaiguri district.

All the booths were manned by central paramilitary forces, and the casting of votes will continue till 6.30 pm. 

"The polling has been peaceful so far. No untoward incident has been reported," the Election Commission official said. 

The Dhupguri assembly constituency in north Bengal is witnessing a three-cornered contest among the TMC, BJP and the Congress-supported CPI(M).

While the TMC had won the seat in 2016, it was snatched by the BJP in 2021.

The TMC-CPI (M) contest at Dhupguri reveals one of the many internal contradictins of the INDIA bloc. The constituent parties face off each other in several states, such as in Kerala (Congress-CPIM), Punjab (AAP and Congress), Delhi (AAP and Congress), and elsewhere. The leaders, however, have tried to dehyphenate the assembly elections (and state political equations) from national elections (and national political equations). 

"The INDIA opposition bloc faces a crucial test in the upcoming bypoll in Dhupguri assembly segment as its important constituents, TMC and Congress-CPI(M) alliance, fight it out against each other to wrest the rural seat in North Bengal from the BJP...The bypoll on September 5 is also a litmus test for all three political outfits, with the BJP hoping to check its erosion in its vote share and retain the seat, the TMC aiming to wrest the tribal-dominated assembly segment and the CPI(M)-Congress alliance hoping to regain its traditional seat," noted PTI earlier.

Tripura

Voting for the by-elections to Dhanpur and Boxanagar assembly seats in Tripura's Sepahijala district concluded on Tuesday, amid heavy deployment of security personnel, an official said. 

Nearly 87 per cent voter turnout was recorded till the end of polling.

Polling began at 7 a.m. in 59 booths in Dhanpur assembly constituency and 51 in Boxanagar, and is scheduled to continue till 4 p.m.

In Dhanpur and Boxanagar assembly seats in Tripura's Sepahijala district, Chief Minister Manik Saha led the party's campaign from the front.

Tipra Motha, the main opposition, and Congress have stayed away. The Tripura Pradesh Congress on Sunday urged people to vote for opposition bloc INDIA candidates in the two seats.

BJP's Tafajjal Hussain, who unsuccessfully contested the Assembly election in February, will take on CPI(M)’s Mizan Hussain in minority-dominated Boxanagar constituency, still considered the Left party's stronghold.

Dhanpur, once a strong bastion of the communists, is heading for a direct fight between BJP's Bindu Debnath and CPI(M)’s Kaushik Debnath.

"All necessary arrangements have been made for conducting free, fair and peaceful elections," Additional Chief Electoral Officer UG Mog told PTI.

The international border has been sealed to prevent any intrusion from Bangladesh as both constituencies share a boundary with the neighbouring country, a senior police officer said, adding that there will be adequate security to ensure peaceful voting.

Police said six persons were injured when they were allegedly attacked by some villagers at Mohanbhog in Dhanpur Assembly constituency. The villagers set fire to five motorcycles, triggering tension, but the situation was brought under control, a police officer said, adding, that the injured have been admitted to hospital and are out of danger.  

Jharkhand

Besides Uttar Pradesh, the INDIA and BJP-led NDA blocs were locked in a face-off in Jharkhand's Dumri assembly bypolls.  A total of 64.84 per cent of 2.98 lakh voters exercised their franchise in Dumri.

INDIA's candidate Bebi Devi was locked in a direct contest with NDA candidate Yashoda Devi.

The by-election was necessitated following the death of JMM MLA Jagarnath Mahto, former education minister, in April. Mahto had been representing the seat since 2004.

Both the sides are looking forward to score a symbolic victory in Dumri.

Earlier, the PTI noted, "The seat has turned out to be a prestigious one for both alliances amid Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) claiming that the INDIA bloc will begin its victory journey from Dumri, while the NDA exuded confidence that it is all set to snatch the seat from JMM."

Counting on the legacy of Jagarnath Mahto, whose death necessiated the bypolls, INDIA bloc fielded his wife Bebi Devi against AJSU's Yashoda Devi.

Top leaders of both the parties, including CM Hemant Soren, have campaigned for their candidates during the run-up to polling.

"In a bid to retain the seat, top leaders of ruling partners including JMM, Congress and RJD camped in the constituency since beginning of the campaigning on August 21. Chief Minister Hemant Soren, who did several rallies including a road show, appealed the people to vote for INDIA candidate, which will be a true tribute to Mahto...AJSU Party chief Sudesh Mahto has been camping in the constituency to garner people’s support. The BJP and AJSU Party had raised the alleged failures of the current JMM-led government including corruption and deteriorating law and order," noted PTI earlier.

Kerala

The Congress and the ruling Left took on each other at the Puthuppally bypoll in Kerala, with the opposition party in the state banking on "anti-incumbency" and the late Oommen Chandy's legacy. it saw around 72.91 per cent of the over 1.76 lakh voters turning up to exercise their franchise. Both the Congress and Left parties are part of the INDIA bloc battled out each other in the bypolls. 

The Congress-led UDF opposition has fielded Chandy's son, Chandy Oommen, to benefit from the sympathy wave following the former CM's death.

On the other hand, the ruling Left once again decided to go with DYFI leader Jaick C Thomas who had unsuccessfully contested from the segment in 2016 and 2021 against the late Chandy.

The BJP has fielded its Kottayam district president G Lijinlal.

Uttarakhand

More than 55 per cent of the electorate cast their votes in the Bageshwar Assembly by-election in Uttarakhand on Tuesday. 

The BJP and the Congress were in a straight contest in Uttarakhand. The ruling BJP has fielded Parvati Das as it seeks to retain the seat. It was won by her husband Chandan Das in four consecutive elections since 2007 and his death necessitated the bypoll.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and other top BJP leaders campaigned for Das.

Congress heavyweights like Harish Rawat, PCC president Karan Mahara and Leader of Opposition in the state assembly Yashpal Arya had also been camping in Bageshwar for the past few days to garner support for party candidate Basant Kumar.

Like West Bengal and Kerala, the Opposition bloc INDIA could not put up a united front in Bageshwar as SP has fielded a candidate too.