Bypolls: Vijay’s TVK leads in Tamil Nadu, BJP ahead in Bengal and Assam

CHENNAI: The counting of votes has begun for the by-elections held in five assembly constituencies across three states and one Lok Sabha constituency in Assam. The by-elections were held in Nandigram and Rejinagar in West Bengal, Madhuranthakam and Dharapuram in Tamil Nadu, and Thattanchavady in Puducherry, along with the Nagaon Lok Sabha seat in Assam. The polls were held on October 6.

The by-elections in West Bengal are crucial for former chief minister Mamata Banerjee and present Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. However, early trends indicate that the BJP is leading in both Nandigram and Rejinagar. The counting of the postal ballots has been completed.

Suvendu Adhikari had contested and won from two constituencies in the last election, one of which was Nandigram. The by-election in Rejinagar became necessary after Humayun Kabir, a former Trinamool Congress leader and head of the Aam Janata Unnayan Party, resigned as an MLA.

In Tamil Nadu, Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) is leading in both constituencies where by-elections were held. Both are sitting seats of the AIADMK. In Dharapuram, TVK candidate P Sathyabama and AIADMK candidate K Bhanumathi are locked in a close contest. The by-elections became necessary after MLAs who had contested and won on AIADMK tickets in the recent Assembly election resigned and announced their support for Vijay.

In Puducherry’s Thattanchavady constituency, AINRC candidate Ashok Anand is leading by around 2,000 votes. Congress candidate Vinayagam is in the second place.

In Assam’s Nagaon Lok Sabha constituency, BJP candidate Debashish Sharma is leading by 3,300 votes. Pradyut Bordoloi, who won the seat on a Congress ticket in the 2024 Lok Sabha election, resigned as an MP and joined the BJP, necessitating the by-election.