The bypoll season across India is turning out to be a significant political event, with high-stakes contests unfolding in states like Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Maharashtra, and others. As trends pour in, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, contesting her debut election in Wayanad, leads by a substantial margin of 1.5 lakh votes, setting the stage for a potential landmark victory for the Congress.
Wayanad: Priyanka Gandhi Takes Commanding Lead
In Kerala’s Wayanad constituency, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has emerged as the frontrunner in her first-ever electoral contest. Her lead of over 1.5 lakh votes underscores the Congress’s grip on the region, historically a stronghold of the party.
Rajasthan: Mixed Results Across Seven Assembly Seats
In Rajasthan, the counting of votes for bypolls in seven assembly seats indicates a competitive race between the BJP, Congress, and regional players:
BJP’s Strength: Rajendra Gurjar and Revant Ram Danga lead in Deoli-Uniara and Khinwsar, respectively. Revant Ram has a margin of 4,451 votes, with Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) candidate Kanika Beniwal trailing.
Congress’s Fightback: Aryaan Zubair Khan leads in Ramgarh by 1,774 votes, while Deen Dayal is ahead in Dausa with a margin of 1,885 votes.
BAP Gains: Bharat Adivasi Party candidates Jitesh Kumar Katara and Anil Kumar Katara lead in Salumber and Chorasi.
Independent Push: Former minister Rajendra Gudha, an Independent candidate, is leading in Jhunjhunu, with BJP’s Rajendra Bamboo in second place.
These results could impact the political narrative in Rajasthan ahead of municipal elections, with the BJP holding 114 seats in the 200-member assembly, followed by Congress with 65.
Gujarat: Cong leading in Vav Assembly Seat
Congress candidate Gulabsinh Rajput is leading by 1,174 votes over BJP’s Swarupji Thakor in the Vav assembly by-election in Gujarat’s Banaskantha district. As of the third round of counting, Rajput has secured 12,361 votes, while Thakor has garnered 11,187 votes. Independent candidate Mavji Patel trails with 6,510 votes. The counting is taking place at the Government Engineering College in Palanpur, under tight security. Rajput’s lead marks a significant step towards victory, though the race remains competitive with several rounds still to be counted. The bypolls, which are closely watched, reflect the ongoing political dynamics in the region.
Punjab: AAP leading Chabbewal, Dera Baba Nanak and Gidderbaha, Congress leading Barnala
In the Punjab bypolls for four Assembly segments, initial trends showed the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leading in Chabbewal, Gidderbaha and Dera Baba Nanak while Congress was ahead in Barnala.
In Chabbewal, AAP’s Ishank Kumar Chabbewal maintained a strong lead of 21,081 votes over Congress candidate Ranjit Kumar after 10 rounds of counting, with BJP’s Sohan Singh Thandal in third place. Supporters of Ishank have already begun celebrating his anticipated victory.
In Gidderbaha, AAP’s Hardeep Singh Dimpy Dhillon was ahead by 5,976 votes against Congress nominee Amrita Warring, wife of Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring. BJP’s Manpreet Singh Badal stood third. In Barnala, Congress candidate Kuldeep Singh Dhillon led by 2,750 votes over BJP’s Kewal Singh Dhillon, with AAP trailing. In Dera Baba Nanak, AAP’s Gurdeep Singh Randhawa led Congress’s Jatinder Kaur Randhawa by 505 votes after nine rounds, amid a tight contest.
Uttar Pradesh: BJP Gaining Momentum
In Uttar Pradesh, the BJP is leading in five of the nine constituencies, signalling a potential recovery after the Lok Sabha setback earlier this year.
Key Leads: BJP’s Shuchismita Maurya and Ramvir Singh Thakur lead in Majhawan and Kundarki. SP, however, retains its strongholds in Karhal and Sisamau, with Tej Pratap Yadav and Naseem Solanki leading.
Voter Turnout: The voter turnout in UP remained modest at 49.3%, with Ghaziabad recording the lowest turnout at 33.30%.
Chhattisgarh: BJP leads Raipur South
In Raipur City South, BJP’s Sunil Kumar Soni leads by 785 votes over Congress rival Akash Sharma. This bypoll, necessitated by Brijmohan Agrawal’s resignation after his Lok Sabha victory, remains a key contest for both BJP and Congress.
The Congress is leading in Budhni, while the BJP is ahead in Vijaypur in the Madhya Pradesh bypolls held on November 13, officials said.
Karnataka: Congress leads Shiggaon, Sandur, and Channapatna constituency
The Congress is leading in Karnataka’s Shiggaon, Sandur, and Channapatna Assembly seats during the ongoing bypolls, marking a significant development in the state’s political landscape.
Madhya Pradesh: Congress candidate Rajkumar Patel ahead in Budhni
In Budhni, Congress candidate Rajkumar Patel leads by 953 votes over BJP’s Ramakant Bhargava after the second round. Counting will continue for 13 rounds.
In Vijaypur, BJP’s Ramniwas Rawat holds an 8,661-vote lead against Congress’s Mukesh Malhotra after eight rounds, with 21 rounds planned.
Budhni’s bypoll followed BJP MLA and former CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s Lok Sabha win, while Vijaypur’s arose after Congress MLA Ramniwas Rawat joined the BJP and became a minister.
Uttarakhand: BJP’s Asha Nautiyal leading in Kedarnath seat
BJP candidate Asha Nautiyal leads by over 3,000 votes against Congress’s Manoj Rawat in the Kedarnath bypoll after six rounds of counting, per Election Commission data. Nautiyal secured 13,696 votes, Rawat 10,633, and Independent Tribhuvan Singh 7,935. Singh initially held second place but was overtaken by Rawat. The bypoll, held on November 20, followed the death of BJP MLA Shaila Rani Rawat. Counting began at 8 am amid tight security.
West Bengal and Sikkim
In West Bengal, TMC candidates lead across Medinipur, Naihati, and Sitai, reinforcing their dominance. In Sikkim, Sikkim Krantikari Morcha candidates have secured uncontested wins in Soreng-Chakung and Namchi-Singhithang.
The ongoing bypolls are proving to be a litmus test for all major political players. Priyanka Gandhi’s potential victory in Wayanad could mark a significant milestone for the Congress, while the BJP’s strong performance in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh signals its resilience. With municipal and assembly elections looming, these results are likely to influence party strategies and alliances in the months to come.
