Bypoll Results: Counting underway for 7 Assembly seats in 6 states; Cong takes lead in Puthuppally, BJP ahead in Bageshwar

New Delhi [India], September 8 (ANI): The counting of votes for the seven assembly seats across six states, including Bageshwar in Uttarakhand, Ghosi in Uttar Pradesh, Puthuppally in Kerala, Dhupguri in West Bengal, Dumri in Jharkhand, and Boxanagar and Dhanpur in Tripura, is underway.

According to the initial trends, Congress candidate Chandy Oommen is leading from Puthuppally in Kerala. BJP candidate Tafajjal Hossain is leading from Boxanagar in Tripura. BJP candidate Parwati Dass is leading from Bageshwar in Uttarakhand. All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU) candidate Yashoda Devi is leading from Dumri in Jharkhand, and BJP candidate Bindu Debnath from Dhupguri in West Bengal is leading, as per the information released on the official website of the Election Commission.

The voting for the bypolls in six states was held on Tuesday, September 5. These bypolls are seen as crucial, as they may serve as the litmus test for the opposition alliance against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha.

After the death of former Kerala Chief Minister and Congress leader Oommen Chandy, the election was necessitated for the Puthuppally Assembly seat. Oommen Chandy represented the Puthuppally seat 12 times in a row from 1970 to 2023. Oommen Chandy’s son, Chandy Oommen is fighting from Puthuppally while the ruling party CPI (M) has fielded Jaick C Thomas.

A bye-election in Tripura’s Dhanpur was necessitated after the BJP’s Pratima Bhoumik resigned to retain her Lok Sabha seat, leaving the assembly vacant. Bhoumik’s brother Bindu Debnath will be fighting for the BJP against Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) candidate Kaushik Chanda in Dhanpur for the bypolls.

The BJP and CPI (M) will contest against each other in Tripura’s Boxanagar seat, which fell vacant after the death of CPI (MK) MLA Samsul Haque.

In Uttarakhand’s Bageshwar seat, the battle will be between the SP, Congress, and BJP against each other. A bye-election in Bageshwar was prompted by the death of BJP MLA Chandan Ram Dass.

A bypoll in Jharkhand’s Dumri was necessitated after the death of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) MLA Jagarnath Mahto. JMM has filed Mahto’s wife, Bebi Devi, who is representing the India bloc, against NDA’s Yashoda Devu and All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) Abdul Rizvi.

In West Bengal’s Dhupguri, the bye-election was necessary after the death of the BJP’s Bishnu Pada Ray.

Tapas Ray from the BJP is contesting against Nirma Chandra Roy and CPI (M) candidate Ishwar Chandra Roy.