Seven Assembly constituencies will hold bypolls across six states to fill vacant seats on Tuesday. This will be the first electoral contest between the BJP-led NDA and the Opposition’s INDIA bloc ahead of Lok Sabha elections in 2024.
While India will be putting a united front in Ghosi constituency in Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand’s Dumri, Dhanpur and Boxanagar in Tripura and Uttarakhand’s Bageshwar, it will fight separately in Dhupguri in West Bengal and Puthuppally in Kerala.
The counting of votes will be held on Friday (September 8).
Here are state-wise details of bypolls to be held on Tuesday
Ghosi Bypoll, Uttar Pradesh
The bypoll was necessitated following the resignation of Samajwadi Party MLA Dara Singh Chauhan, who joined the BJP.
Voting in the bypoll will be held on Tuesday from 7 am to 6 pm, an official told PTI.
For the BJP, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath led the campaign.
SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, who had skipped campaigning for the other two prestigious bypolls in Rampur and Azamgarh last year, addressed an election meeting in Ghosi.
Meanwhile, BSP chief Mayawati has asked the party’s supporters to stay away from the bypoll to the Ghosi assembly seat.
Dhupguri bypoll, West Bengal
The Dhupguri assembly constituency in north Bengal is witnessing a three-cornered contest among the TMC, BJP and the Congress-supported CPI(M). The last election in 2021 was won by the BJP, and before that in 2016 it had gone to TMC.
TMC minister Firhad Hakim and MP Mimi Chakraborty did roadshows and meetings for ruling party candidate Nirmal Chandra Roy.
BJP heavyweights Sukanta Majumdar, Suvendu Adhikari and Dilip Ghosh canvassed for their candidate Tapasi Roy.
A total of 30 companies of central armed police force (CAPF) are to be deployed for the byelection.
Heavy security arrangements have been made to ensure peaceful polls in the constituency, dotted with several tea gardens and forest areas in Birpara, Binnaguri and Nagrakata.
Tripura bypolls
Tripura will see bypolls to Dhanpur and Boxanagar assembly seats in Sepahijala district, which will witness a straight fight between the ruling BJP and opposition CPI(M).
To main security, all polling booths will have central paramilitary forces, while Tripura State Rifles personnel will be deployed outside them to maintain strict security, an official told PTI.
Puthuppally bypoll, Kerala
Puthuppally bypoll in Kerala will see a fight between Congress-led UDF and LDF. The constituency which has around 1.75 lakh registered voters.
The current Oppostion banking on “anti-incumbency” and the late Oommen Chandy’s legacy.
The ruling bloc’s current tally is 99 in the 140-member Kerala Assembly, while the opposition UDF has 41 members.
The bypoll was necessitated on account of the death of former Kerala Chief Minister and Congress stalwart Oommen Chandy in July this year.
Bageshwar bypoll, Uttarakhand
The bypoll to Uttarakhand’s Bageshwar assembly will see a main contest between BJP and Congress, and five candidates are in the fray.
The seat has seen this two-party rivarly since creation of the state in 2000.
The bypoll was necessitated following the death of sitting BJP MLA and cabinet minister Chandan Ram Das in April this year.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami addressed a public meeting in Kafligair to garner support for the BJP nominee on the last day of campaigning on Sunday
There are 1,18,225 voters in Bageshwar assembly constituency spread over 188 polling stations.
Dumri Bypoll, Jharkhand
For Jharkhand’s Dumri assembly seat INDIA bloc candidate Bebi Devi locked in a direct contest with NDA candidate Yashoda Devi.
The bypoll was necessitated following the death of JMM MLA Jagarnath Mahto, former education minister, in April.
Chief Minister Hemant Soren, who did several rallies including a road show, appealed the people to vote for INDIA candidate, which will be a true tribute to Mahto.
With agency inputs
