Bypoll results: Counting of votes for byelection in 13 Assembly seats across seven states has started. The opposition INDIA bloc was seen putting up fierce competition against the ruling BJP as the process of counting votes was in progress for the assembly by-elections being conducted in 13 constituencies across seven states on Saturday.
By-elections were held in 13 Assembly constituencies spread across seven states on July 10. The voter turnout ranged from moderate to high in these constituencies. The seats where by-elections took place are Rupauli in Bihar; Raiganj, Ranaghat Dakshin, Bagda, and Maniktala in West Bengal; Vikravandi in Tamil Nadu; Amarwara in Madhya Pradesh; Badrinath and Manglaur in Uttarakhand; Jalandhar West in Punjab; and Dehra, Hamirpur, and Nalagarh in Himachal Pradesh. These bypolls were conducted due to the vacancies created by the passing away or resignation of the incumbent MLAs affiliated with various political parties.
As per the updates till 10.30 AM, the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) is leading on all four assembly seats in West Bengal. TMC candidate Krishna Kalyani has taken a significant lead of more than 10,000 votes in Raiganj. The TMC is also ahead in the Maniktala, Ranaghat Dakshin and Bagda assembly constituencies.
On the other hand in Punjab, Aam Aadmi Party candidate Mohinder Bhagat is leading in the Jalandhar West constituency after the completion of four counting rounds. He has taken a lead of over 11,000 votes Trailing behind Bhagat is Surinder Kaur from the Congress party.
Moving on to the developments in the Dehra constituency, Kamlesh Thakur, the wife of Congress candidate and Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, has taken a slight lead over BJP's Hoshyar Singh.
In Bihar, more than 57% of over three lakh voters exercised their franchise in the bypoll to the Rupauli assembly seat. The bypoll arose due to the resignation of sitting MLA Bima Bharti, who had previously won the seat for JD(U) but recently left the party to run for Lok Sabha elections under an RJD ticket.
Polling also took place for the Amarwara (ST) assembly seat in Madhya Pradesh's Chhindwara, achieving a 78.71% voter turnout. The seat became vacant when three-time Congress MLA Kamlesh Shah switched to the BJP in March.
The Vikravandi assembly constituency in Tamil Nadu saw a voter turnout of 82.48%. The bypoll was called following the passing of DMK legislator N Pughazhendhi.
A total of 29 candidates are competing, with the ruling DMK's candidate Anniyur Siva (alias Sivashanmugam A) running against PMK's C Anbumani and Naam Tamilar Katchi's K Abinaya.