New Delhi: The political landscape witnessed a significant shift as the results of by-elections held on 13 assembly seats across seven states were announced on Saturday. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) emerged victorious on all four seats in West Bengal, while the Congress party swept the ruling BJP aside in Uttarakhand. The Congress secured two out of three seats in Himachal Pradesh, leaving the BJP with just one. The BJP managed to win a seat each in Madhya Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh, while the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) secured a win in Punjab, DMK in Tamil Nadu, and an independent candidate triumphed in Bihar.
TMC’s Clean Sweep in West Bengal
TMC showcased a powerful performance, winning all four contested seats in West Bengal. Krishna Kalyani triumphed in Raiganj, Madhuparna Thakur in Bagda, Mukut Mani Adhikari in Ranaghat South, and another TMC candidate clinched the Maniktala seat.
Congress Prevails in Himachal and Uttarakhand
In Himachal Pradesh, the Congress won two seats: Kamlesh Thakur in Dehra and Hardeep Singh Bawa in Nalagarh, while BJP’s Ashish Sharma secured a victory in Hamirpur. The by-elections were necessitated after three independent MLAs, who had supported the BJP in the Rajya Sabha elections, resigned and joined the BJP.
In Uttarakhand, Congress candidate Qazi Mohammad Nizamuddin won the Mangalore seat, historically dominated by Congress or BSP, defeating BJP’s Kartar Singh Bhadana. Congress also won the Badrinath seat with candidate Lakhpat Singh.
BJP’s Limited Wins and Independent Success in Bihar
In Madhya Pradesh, BJP’s Kamlesh Pratap Shah won the Amarwara seat. The seat had become vacant after the resignation of a Congress MLA who joined the BJP.
In Bihar, independent candidate Shankar Singh claimed victory in Rupouli, defying expectations that the NDA or other major parties would secure the seat.
Other Significant Wins
AAP’s Mohinder Bhagat won the Jalandhar West seat in Punjab, a crucial victory following the party’s defeat in the Lok Sabha elections. This by-election was held after the resignation of AAP MLA Sheetal Angural, with 15 candidates vying for the seat.
In Tamil Nadu, the DMK won the Vikravandi seat, which was vacant following the death of DMK MLA N Pugazhenthi. The DMK candidate secured a decisive victory in this by-election.
Overview of the By-Election Results
- Bihar: Independent Shankar Singh won in Rupouli.
- Himachal Pradesh: Congress won Dehra and Nalagarh; BJP won Hamirpur.
- Madhya Pradesh: BJP won Amarwara.
- Punjab: AAP won Jalandhar West.
- Tamil Nadu: DMK won Vikravandi.
- Uttarakhand: Congress won Mangalore and Badrinath.
- West Bengal: TMC won Ranaghat South, Raiganj, Bagda, and Maniktala.
Implications and Political Shifts
The by-election results have significant implications for the political dynamics in India, highlighting a challenging landscape for the ruling BJP, which managed to win only 2 out of 13 seats. The Congress and TMC’s strong performances underscore their growing influence in their respective states, potentially reshaping future electoral strategies.
Voting for these by-elections was held on July 10, and the Election Commission has officially declared the results for 11 out of the 13 seats. The detailed outcomes reflect a diverse political scenario with multiple parties gaining ground in different regions.
