Voting for by-elections in 13 constituencies across seven states began at 7 am on Wednesday. Following the Lok Sabha elections in India, this crucial electoral event will be crucial in determining the fate of several aspirants to power.
The constituencies going to vote are Raiganj, Ranaghat Dakshin, Baghda and Maniktala in West Bengal; Badrinath and Manglar in Uttarakhand; Jalandhar West in Punjab; Dera, Hamirpur and Nalagarh in Himachal Pradesh; Rupauli in Bihar; Vikravandi in Tamil Nadu and Amarwala in Madhya Pradesh.
These by-elections were necessary due to vacancies created by the death or resignation of incumbent members.
As of 11 a.m., the voter turnout was as follows:
West Bengal
– Bagda – 22.63%
– Raiganj – 25.98%
– Maniktala – 21.89%
– Ranaghat Dakshin – 26.32%
Uttarakhand
– Badrinath – 21.20%
– Mangular – 22.63%
Punjab
– Jalandhar West – 23.40%
Bihar
– Rupauli – 18.48%
Himachal Pradesh
– Hamirpur – 31.81%
– Nalagarh – 34.63%
– Della – 31.61%
Madhya Pradesh
– Amarwala – 36.81%
Tamil Nadu
– Vikravandi – 29.97%
In Himachal Pradesh, the Indian National Congress has nominated Kamlesh Thakur, the wife of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukh, as its candidate in the elections.
In Punjab, Chief Minister Bhagwat Mann is actively supporting AAP candidate Mohinder Bhagat from Jalandhar West.
There has been a big change in West Bengal, where three of the four seats won by the BJP in 2021 remain vacant as legislators have switched sides to the Trinamool Congress. Former BJP leaders Krishna Kalyani and Mukut Mani Adhikari will contest under the TMC banner in Raiganj and Ranaghat Dakshin.
Meanwhile, in Tamil Nadu, the AIADMK chose to abstain from participating in the elections in Vikravandi, citing concerns over the fairness of the electoral process.
