Vote counting for the seven assembly seats in six states that held bypolls last Tuesday will commence at 8:00 am on Friday at designated centers within each state. These bypoll results are being closely watched as a test for the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (I.N.D.I.A) coalition against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), in anticipation of upcoming state assembly elections later this year and the pivotal Lok Sabha polls in 2024.
The seven contested seats encompass Bageshwar in Uttarakhand, Ghosi in Uttar Pradesh, Puthuppally in Kerala, Dhupguri in West Bengal, Dumri in Jharkhand, and Boxanagar and Dhanpur in Tripura. The BJP held the Bageshwar, Dhupguri, and Dhanpur seats, while the Samajwadi Party, Communist Party of India (Marxist), Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), and Congress held the Ghosi, Boxanagar, Dumri, and Puthuppally seats, respectively.
Notably, the Ghosi Assembly constituency in Uttar Pradesh saw a turnout of only 49.42%, whereas Dumri in Jharkhand recorded a turnout of 64.84%, and Bageshwar in Uttarakhand registered a turnout of 55.35%. On the other hand, Boxanagar and Dhanpur in Tripura recorded 86.34% and 81.88% voter turnout, respectively, while Dhupguri in Bengal saw a turnout of 74.35%.
The Ghosi bypoll was triggered by Dara Singh Chauhan’s switch from the Samajwadi Party to the BJP after winning the seat in the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls. Chauhan was chosen as the BJP’s candidate, while the Samajwadi Party fielded Sudhakar Singh.
In Tripura’s Dhanpur, the bye-election became necessary when the BJP’s Pratima Bhoumik resigned to retain her Lok Sabha seat, vacating the assembly position. Bhoumik’s brother, Bindu Debnath, contested for the BJP against Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) candidate Kaushik Chanda in the bypoll.
In Tripura’s Boxanagar, the BJP and CPI(M) faced off due to the seat falling vacant after the passing of CPI(M) MLA Samsul Haque.
The bye-election in Uttarakhand’s Bageshwar seat was prompted by the demise of BJP MLA Chandan Ram Dass, leading to a contest between the Samajwadi Party, Congress, and BJP.
The passing of Congress veteran Oomen Chandy necessitated the bypoll in Kerala’s Puthupally seat. The Congress fielded Oommen Chandy’s son, Chandy Oomen, while the ruling CPI(M) fielded Jaick C. Thomas as their candidate.
In Jharkhand’s Dumri, the bye-election followed the death of JMM MLA Jagarnath Mahto. JMM fielded Mahto’s wife, Bebi Devi, representing the INDIA bloc against NDA’s Yashoda Devu and All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) candidate Abdul Rizvi.
Lastly, in West Bengal’s Dhupguri, the bye-election became necessary following the passing of the BJP’s Bishnu Pada Ray. The BJP’s Tapas Ray contested against Nirma Chandra Roy and CPI(M) candidate Ishwar Chandra Roy.
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