In a major political victory, the INDIA bloc has emerged triumphant in the recent by-elections, securing 10 out of the 13 contested seats. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) managed to win only two seats, while an Independent candidate claimed victory in Bihar's Rupauli Assembly constituency.
Votes were counted on Saturday for the by-elections held across seven states, with four seats in West Bengal, three in Himachal Pradesh, two in Uttarakhand, and one each in Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, and Tamil Nadu. The Indian National Congress (INC), All India Trinamool Congress (TMC), Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) were among the INDIA bloc parties that fielded candidates.
In Bihar, the Rupauli constituency saw Independent candidate Shankar Singh defeat JD(U)’s Kaladhar Prasad Mandal by a margin of 8,246 votes. Himachal Pradesh witnessed INC victories in Dehra and Nalagarh, with Kamlesh Thakur, wife of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, defeating BJP’s Hoshiyar Singh by 9,399 votes, and Hardeep Singh Bawa winning against BJP’s K L Thakur by 25,618 votes. The BJP secured the Hamirpur seat with Ashish Sharma defeating Congress’s Pushpinder Verma by polling 27,041 votes.
In Madhya Pradesh, Kamlesh Pratap Shah of the BJP emerged victorious in the Amarwara constituency, winning by 3,027 votes against Congress’ Dheeran Sah Invati. Punjab’s Jalandhar West seat was won by AAP’s Mohinder Bhagat, who defeated BJP nominee Sheetal Angural by a margin of 37,325 votes. Tamil Nadu saw DMK’s Anniyur Siva, also known as Sivashanmugam A, winning the Vikravandi constituency by a margin of 67,757 votes against NDA’s Ambumani C.
Uttarakhand recorded INC victories in both Badrinath and Manglaur. Lakhapat Singh Butola defeated BJP’s Rajendra Singh Bhandari by 5,224 votes in Badrinath, while Qazi Mohammad Nizamuddin won the Manglaur seat by defeating BJP’s Kartar Singh Bhadana by a margin of 422 votes. West Bengal was dominated by the TMC, with Krishna Kalyani winning in Raiganj by 50,077 votes, Mukut Mani Adhikari in Ranaghat Dakshin by 74,485 votes, Madhuparna Thakur in Bagda by 74,251 votes, and Supti Pandey in Maniktala by 62,312 votes, all defeating their BJP rivals by significant margins.
Following the announcement of the results, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi hailed the victory of the INDIA alliance as a triumph for the constitution and the nation. "The results of the by-elections in 7 states have made it clear that the web of ‘fear and confusion’ woven by the BJP has been broken. Every class, including farmers, youth, laborers, businessmen, and employed people, wants to completely destroy dictatorship and establish the rule of justice. The public is now standing with INDIA for the betterment of their lives and protection of the Constitution," he stated.
INC spokesperson Pawan Khera described the mandate as a "resounding verdict against the BJP’s policies and governance," emphasizing that the people have rejected the arrogance and rigidity of the BJP. The INDIA bloc's success in these by-elections showcases their growing influence and the public's support for their vision and policies, marking a significant boost for the coalition.
