The Election Commission has announced bypolls for 6 seats across Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. The schedule covers one Lok Sabha constituency and 5 Assembly seats, with voting set for 6 October and counting on 9 October.
The constituencies are Nagaon Lok Sabha in Assam; Rejinagar and Nandigram in West Bengal; Madurantakam and Dharapuram in Tamil Nadu; and Thattanchavady in Puducherry.
Why Nandigram is attracting attention
Nandigram has become the most politically significant contest among the 6 seats because it was the constituency where Mamata Banerjee faced Suvendu Adhikari in the 2021 Assembly election. Adhikari defeated Banerjee, who was then a former chief minister, in that contest.
Adhikari later contested from Bhabanipur and Nandigram in the Assembly election and won both seats. He subsequently left Nandigram, creating the vacancy that has now led to a bypoll.
The development has prompted speculation over whether Banerjee will contest from Nandigram again and seek to energise Trinamool Congress workers. No decision on her candidature is stated.
Nandigram’s previous result
Adhikari received 127,301 votes in the Nandigram contest, while Trinamool Congress candidate Pratibha Kar secured 117,636 votes. In the 2021 election, Adhikari had received 110,764 votes and Banerjee had polled 108,808.
Why the other seats are vacant
The Nagaon Lok Sabha seat fell vacant after sitting MP Pradyut Bordoloi resigned shortly before the Assembly election and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party after leaving the Congress.
In West Bengal, Rejinagar is also headed for a bypoll. Humayun Kabir, chief of the Am Janata Unnayan Party, had won Rejinagar as well as Naoda. He later resigned from Rejinagar. Kabir had been expelled from the Trinamool Congress before the Assembly election.
The remaining Assembly bypolls will take place in Tamil Nadu’s Madurantakam and Dharapuram and in Puducherry’s Thattanchavady.
Conclusion
The 6 bypolls will test electoral support across 4 regions, with Nandigram receiving particular attention because of its earlier contest between Banerjee and Adhikari. Voting is scheduled for 6 October and results for 9 October.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. When will voting take place in the 6 bypolls?
Voting is scheduled for 6 October.
Q. When will the bypoll results be announced?
The results are scheduled to be announced on 9 October.
Q. Which Lok Sabha seat is included in the bypoll schedule?
Nagaon in Assam is the Lok Sabha seat included in the schedule.
Q. Which West Bengal seats will have bypolls?
The West Bengal seats are Rejinagar and Nandigram.
Q. Why is Nandigram being closely watched?
Nandigram is being closely watched because Suvendu Adhikari defeated Mamata Banerjee there in the 2021 Assembly election, and Adhikari later left the seat vacant.
