With the results of Maharashtra and Jharkhand assembly polls expected to hog the limelight tomorrow, the battles in states in assembly bypolls will have their own significance as the ruling parties and those in opposition seek to send a message about their having the electoral momentum.
The bypolls have also strongly fought in various states besides Uttar Pradesh, where nine assembly seats saw polling on Wednesday. Bypolls were held on 48 assembly and two Lok Sabha seats across 14 states including Wayanad in Kerala from where Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is making her electoral debut. The bypolls were held in two phases.
The bypolls in Uttar Pradesh are significant for the BJP and Samajwadi Party as both the parties are aiming to seize momentum for 2027 assembly polls.
The ruling BJP suffered a setback in Uttar Pradesh in the Lok Sabha polls earlier this year as it won 33 seats with Samajwadi Party winning 37 seats. Congress and Samajwadi Party fought the Lok Sabha polls together and in the assembly polls the former is extending its support to the latter.
Chief Minister Yogi Adiyanath campaigned extensively for the bypolls. Votes will be counted in Katehari, Karhal, Meerapur, Ghaziabad, Majhawan, Sisamau, Khair, Phulpur, and Kundarki constituencies.
Reports said five Uttar Pradesh policemen were placed under suspension by the Election Commission over complaints that they were preventing voters from casting their ballot in three constituencies.
Opposition SP accused the ruling BJP of misusing government machinery to prevent SP supporters, especially “burqa-clad women”, from casting votes.
In Karnataka, Channapatna bypolls saw a high profile competition between NDA candidate Nikhil Kumaraswamy and CP Yogeshwara on November 13. Nikhil Kumaraswamy is the son of former Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kuamaraswamy.
Wayanad seat was vacated by Priyanka Gandhi’s brother Rahul Gandhi, who also won Lok Sabha polls from family stronghold of Raebareli. Priyanka Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi campaigned extensively in Wayanad.
Apart from Uttar Pradesh, seven assembly seats in Rajasthan, six in West Bengal, five in Assam, four each in Punjab and Bihar and three in Karnataka went for bypolls.