New Delhi: Counting of votes for by-elections to five Assembly constituencies across Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Puducherry, along with one Lok Sabha constituency in Assam, will take place on Friday. The results are expected to provide an electoral indicator for the political parties involved.
Tamil Nadu Bypolls to Test TVK Government
In Tamil Nadu, counting will be held for the Madurantakam and Dharapuram Assembly constituencies, providing an early electoral test for Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government.
Counting will begin at 8 a.m., with postal ballots counted first, followed by votes recorded in electronic voting machines (EVMs). Both constituencies, reserved for Scheduled Castes, went to the polls on October 6 after an intensive campaign involving prominent leaders from the ruling party and the Opposition.
The contests hold political significance for TVK, which came to power after winning 108 Assembly seats, falling short of the 118 seats required for a majority.
Nandigram and Rejinagar Bypoll Results in West Bengal
In West Bengal, counting will take place for the Nandigram Assembly constituency in East Midnapore district and Rejinagar in Murshidabad district. Voting in both constituencies was conducted under heightened security arrangements.
The Nandigram contest has attracted particular attention after Sanchita Pradhan Dey, the candidate of the Mamata Banerjee-led All India Trinamool Congress (TMC), withdrew her nomination at the last moment. Her withdrawal has led political observers to anticipate a possible victory for Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Hasi Rani Rath.
Dey is the mother of late Chandranath Rath, personal assistant to Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, who was assassinated in Madhyamgram on May 6.
Earlier this week, Adhikari said Rath’s victory margin in the Nandigram bypoll could exceed the margin he secured from the same constituency in 2016.
Counting in Puducherry and Assam
Counting will also take place for the Thattanchavady Assembly constituency in Puducherry and the Nagaon Lok Sabha constituency in Assam.
The results from all six constituencies will determine the electoral fortunes of the candidates and political parties involved and offer an indication of the political mood in the respective regions.