Vote counting for assembly and parliamentary by-elections across four states and the Union Territory of Puducherry commenced on Friday, October 9, revealing major shifts and commanding leads for key political parties. In West Bengal, the Bharatiya Janata Party established an overwhelming presence in the Nandigram and Rejinagar assembly constituencies, alongside a massive frontrunner status in Assam's Nagaon Lok Sabha seat. Down south in Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister Vijay's political outfit TVK (Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam) made significant headway in both Madurantakam and Dharapuram, leaving traditional rivals trailing. Concurrently, the final outcome from Puducherry's Thattanchavady assembly segment confirmed a decisive triumph for the All India N.R. Congress.
West Bengal: BJP's Hasirani Rath Surges Past One Lakh Votes in Nandigram
In West Bengal's politically sensitive Nandigram constituency, where polling was conducted on October 6, the counting rounds displayed an escalating advantage for BJP nominee Hasirani Rath. Election Commission of India figures showed Rath establishing a massive margin of 1,02,712 votes over her nearest rivals. In the updated tally, Congress candidate Milind Pradhan stood at 21,905 votes, while CPI candidate Shanti Gopal Giri trailed further behind with 3,951 votes. The trajectory of Rath's lead expanded through each phase: starting from 9,600 votes after the initial round, reaching 31,506 votes by round four, extending to 69,498 votes following the eighth round, and touching approximately 81,000 votes before crossing the six-figure mark. In Nandigram, where Muslim electors account for roughly 30 percent of the electorate, CPI held third place, ISF placed fourth, and Democratic Trinamool stood fifth.
Reacting to the expanding lead, Hasirani Rath extended her appreciation to the BJP organizational hierarchy and grassroots workers. She emphasized that party cadres had worked untiringly on the ground, dedicating the electoral performance to the local electorate of Nandigram and West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. Celebrations broke out among BJP party workers across the constituency as the vote margins broadened.
Rejinagar Assembly Seat: Shekhar Sarkar Commands Decisive Advantage
The by-election counting for the Rejinagar assembly constituency in Murshidabad mirrored the BJP's dominance. BJP candidate Shekhar Sarkar established an early gap of 31,724 votes following the fourth counting cycle, eventually amassing 48,101 votes. Golam Nabi Azad, representing the Aam Aadmi Unnayan Party (AJUP), secured second place with 13,600 votes. Trinamool Congress nominee Rabiul Alam Chowdhury gathered 2,516 votes, closely trailed by Congress candidate Abdullahil Kafi with 2,407 votes, and CPI(M) candidate Mohammad Sayeed with 1,212 votes. The political distribution in Rejinagar saw Left Front contenders drop to the fifth rung, with CPI(M) trailing even behind Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress.
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari Reacts as Opposition Alleges Malpractice
Addressing the leads in Nandigram and Rejinagar, West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari made his initial remarks, stating, "We became friends." Adhikari asserted that Bengali-speaking minority voters had actively cast ballots in favor of the BJP. He argued that these community members recognized they had been misled by the earlier administration and, finding an ally in the BJP, decided to back the party's candidates.
In sharp contrast, opposition forces raised questions regarding the integrity of the election exercise. West Bengal Congress President Subhankar Sarkar alleged extensive poll manipulation and voter suppression orchestrated by the BJP, calling for a repoll in both seats. Speaking to reporters, Sarkar claimed that legitimate electors were prevented from reaching polling stations and exercising their democratic rights. He further alleged that collusion between the Election Commission and the central government led to the deletion of genuine electors from voter registries, harshly criticizing the ruling party's actions.
Tamil Nadu: TVK Outpaces Rivals in Madurantakam and Dharapuram
In Tamil Nadu, the bypoll rounds delivered strong numbers for TVK, led by actor-turned-politician Chief Minister Vijay. In the Madurantakam assembly constituency, fourth-round counts showed TVK candidate K. Maragatham Kumaravel garnering 15,509 votes, ahead of DMK's I. Paranthamen with 11,187 votes and AIADMK's S. Kanitha Sampath with 9,691 votes. Subsequent updates from the Election Commission saw Kumaravel widen the lead beyond 8,500 votes, ultimately stretching the margin to 14,312 votes against DMK's I. Paranthamen.
A closely fought battle played out in Dharapuram (also noted as Tarapuram). Following round seven, TVK registered 18,690 votes against AIADMK's 17,773 votes, maintaining a narrow 917-vote edge, while DMK had 15,988 votes. By the ninth round, TVK's Satyabhama P. moved to 24,047 votes, while AIADMK stood at 21,935 votes, establishing a 2,112-vote cushion. In that round, DMK registered 19,972 votes, Naam Tamilar Katchi recorded 1,891 votes, and CPI got 442 votes. Later tally updates extended Satyabhama P.'s lead to 9,350 votes ahead of DMK candidate Suganya S. Following these leads, jubilant TVK cadres gathered at the Panaiyur party office in Chennai to celebrate the performance.
Assam's Nagaon Parliamentary Bypoll: BJP's Debashish Sharma Crosses 95,000 Lead
Counting for the Nagaon Lok Sabha by-election in Assam witnessed BJP candidate Debashish Sharma build an unassailable lead. While initial updates saw his margin breach the 50,000 mark, moving Congress candidate Shibamoni Bora into third place, AIUDF's Mohammed Badruddin Ajmal occupied the second spot. As counting progressed, the Election Commission recorded Sharma's margin reaching 75,248 votes before expanding past 95,687 votes against Ajmal, cementing the party's stronghold over the parliamentary constituency as counting continued toward final certification.
Puducherry: Ashok Anand Claims Thattanchavady for AINRC
While counting continues across various centers in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and Assam, the result for Puducherry's Thattanchavady assembly seat was formally declared. Ashok Anand, candidate for the All India N.R. Congress, secured an outright victory by registering 13,358 votes. Anand defeated Indian National Congress candidate E. Vinayagam by a margin of 8,482 votes (also cited as 8,501 votes), concluding the bypoll contest for the Union Territory constituency.
