BJP, AAP, Congress, TMC Register Gains in Bypoll Results
The recent assembly bypolls held across Gujarat, Punjab, Kerala, and West Bengal have produced a fragmented yet telling picture of India’s current political climate, with each major party securing ground in its traditional strongholds.
BJP Leads in Gujarat
In Gujarat, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) reaffirmed its dominance with a commanding lead in both Visavadar and Kadi. BJP candidate Kirit Patel surged ahead in Visavadar, outpacing AAP’s Gopal Italia and Congress’s Nitin Ranpariya. Meanwhile, in Kadi, Rajendra Chavda maintained a steady advantage over his Congress rival, indicating the saffron party’s continued grip on the state’s political landscape.
AAP Makes Headway in Punjab
Punjab saw the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) assert itself in Ludhiana West, where its Rajya Sabha MP Sanjeev Arora emerged as the frontrunner, leaving behind BJP’s Jiwan Gupta and Congress’s Bharat Bhushan Ashu. The voter turnout, however, dipped significantly to 51.3%, the lowest in nearly two decades. Analysts attribute this to extreme summer heat, school holidays, and general voter fatigue during bypolls.
Congress-Led UDF Gains in Kerala
In Kerala’s Nilambur, the United Democratic Front (UDF) led by Congress candidate Aryadan Shoukath held an early edge over LDF’s M. Swaraj. The state saw a robust turnout of 73.3%, which contributed to UDF’s strong showing. This performance reaffirms Congress’s continuing influence in key constituencies in the southern state.
TMC Retains Its Hold in West Bengal
In Kaliganj, Trinamool Congress (TMC) candidate Alifa Ahmed maintained a consistent lead over rivals Kabil Uddin Sheikh of Congress and Ashish Ghosh of BJP. Voter turnout in Bengal was also high at 69.9%, a sign of sustained engagement and continued trust in the TMC, especially in rural and semi-urban regions.
