New Delhi:
Six by-elections across three states and a Union Territory are being held – a series of closely watched contests that could be a referendum to the new governments elected earlier this year. All eyes will especially be on Bengal, which voted in the BJP – and Tamil Nadu, where actor-politician Vijay’s new party Tamilaga Vettri Khazagham won an unprecedented victory.
Polling is being held in Nandigram and Rejinagar in West Bengal, Madurantakam and Dharapuram in Tamil Nadu. Puducherry’s Thattanchavady and Assam’s the Nagaon Lok Sabha constituency are also due for polls.
The seats fell vacant after MLAs who won on two seats had to surrender one.
The votes will be counted on October 9.
Bengal’s Riveting Contests
Bengal’s big contest will be on Nandigram – which was won by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari who chose to keep Kolkata’s Bhabanipur, the seat of his predecessor Mamata Banerjee. The BJP has fielded Hasirani Rath, mother of Chandranath Rath, a former aide of Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, from the constituency. Chandranath Rath was killed shortly after the Assembly election victory.
The Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool faction has decided to support Congress candidate Milan Pradhan after its nominee withdrew. The contest turned triangular as the Trinamool faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee fielded Mohammad Eteshamul Haque. The CPI is also in the fray.
Photo Credit: PTI
But the BJP’s performance will be most closely watched In Rejinagar, won by Trinamool’s rebel leader Humayun Kabir who later formed his own party.
The contest here will be multi-cornered, with the BJP, the Congress, the CPM, the two Trinamool factions, and the Aam Janata Unnayan Party in fray. The AJUP has fielded Golam Nabi Azad, son of Kabir, who vacated the seat after retaining Nowda.
The Election Commission has tight security measures to ensure peaceful polling in this violence prone zone. Thirty-four companies of central forces have been deployed here along with 819 state police personnel to guard the 315 polling stations.
Test For TVK In Tamil Nadu
The two by-polls in the southern state will be a test for Vijay’s TVK, which fell short of majority after the April election and had to tie-up with the Congress to form government.
In Madurantakam and Dharapuram, K Maragatham Kumaravel and P Sathyabama had switched to the TVK after winning on AIADMK tickets. Vijay has campaigned extensively in both constituencies, bringing jabs from the Opposition which claimed that itshows a complete lack of confidence.
The contests will be four-cornered, with the DMK and CPI candidates in fray besides the TVK and the AIADMK.
Assam And Puducherry
Puducherry’s Thattanchavady and Assam’s Nagaon add further dimensions to the by-poll picture, with both contests testing the strength of the ruling alliances and their ability to convert broader electoral gains into constituency-level victories.
