Priyanka wins Wayanad Lok Sabha seat by over 4.1 lakh votes

Lucknow, Nov 23 (PTI) The BJP won Ghaziabad, Khair and Phulpur assembly seats while the Samajwadi Party bagged Sishamau and Karhal in the Uttar Pradesh bypolls, results of which were announced on Saturday.

The ruling BJP is leading in three of the nine seats for which bypolls were held on November 20 and its ally RLD is ahead in one, according to the Election Commission (EC). BJP's Phulpur candidate Deepak Patel defeated his nearest rival and Samajwadi Party (SP) nominee Md Mujtaba Siddiqui by a margin of 11,305 votes. Patel got a total of 78,289 votes, the EC website showed. In Ghaziabad, BJP's Sanjeev Sharma defeated his nearest rival and SP candidate Singh Raj Jatav by a margin of 69,351 votes. Sharma got a total of 96,946 votes.

In Khair, BJP's Surender Diler got 1,00,181 votes and defeated SP's Charu Kain by a margin of 38,393 votes. The SP retained Sishamau and Karhal assembly seats, according to the EC. In Karhal, SP's Tej Pratap Yadav defeated BJP's Anujesh Pratap Singh by a margin of 14,725 votes. Yadav got a total of 1,04,304 votes.

Karhal assembly seat was vacated by SP president Akhilesh Yadav after he was elected to the Lok Sabha from Kannauj. In Sishamau, SP's Naseem Solanki defeated BJP's Suresh Awasthi by 8,564 votes. Solanki secured 69,714 votes while Awasthi got 61,150.

The Bahujan Samaj Party's (BSP) Virendra Kumar was a distant third with 1,410 votes. Solanki's husband Irfan won the seat in 2012, 2017 and 2022. The Sishamau bypoll was necessitated after Irfan was disqualified from the assembly following his conviction in a criminal case. - PTI

Kolkata: In a major triumph, the Trinamool Congress is set for a clean sweep in all six bypolls, retaining four seats, wresting Madarihat from BJP, and leading in one, further cementing its political dominance in West Bengal, even as the ongoing protests over the RG Kar incident failed to sway voters. The bypolls were held in six constituencies — Naihati, Haroa, Medinipur, Taldangra, Sitai (SC), and Madarihat (ST) — following the resignation of sitting MLAs who had vacated their assembly seats after securing victories in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. These elections held on November 13 were seen as a crucial test for the ruling party amid a politically charged atmosphere, with protests over RG Kar issue intensifying. However, despite these protests, the TMC emerged victorious across the board continuing its winning streak of 2024 Lok Sabha poll victory.

Five of the six constituencies are located in South Bengal, a TMC stronghold, while Madarihat is in the northern part of the state, which the BJP had won in 2021. The by-poll results reinforce TMC's political dominance across West Bengal. In Haroa, where over 70 per cent of the electorate belongs to the minority community, the BJP came a distant third and failed to retain its deposit, prompting party leader Suvendu Adhikari to comment: “Minorities don't vote for the BJP”. The CPI(M)-led Left Front, which had hoped to capitalise on the RG Kar protests to revive its fortunes, faced a crushing defeat, losing its deposit in Sitai and Madarihat. Similarly, its ally, the CPI(ML), lost its deposit in Naihati, while the All India Secular Front (ISF) lost its deposit in Haroa.

The Congress, led by new state chief Suvankar Sarkar, contested without an alliance with the Left for the first time since 2021 but fared no better, losing deposits in all six constituencies. In Sitai (SC), TMC's Sangita Roy won by a margin of 1,30,636 over BJP's Dipak Kumar Ray, who garnered only 35,348 votes. TMC's vote share surged to 76 per cent, compared to 49 per cent in the 2021 state elections, while the BJP's share plummeted from 45 per cent to just 16 per cent.

The Madarihat (ST) seat, previously held by the BJP, marked another significant victory for the TMC. The ruling party's Jayprakash Toppo won with 79,186 votes, securing a lead of 28,168 votes over BJP's Rahul Lohar. This victory is historic for the TMC, as it marks the first time the party has taken control of Madarihat, a key seat in the tea garden belt, signaling a major political shift.

The TMC's vote share surged to 54.05 per cent, while the BJP's share dropped to 34 per cent, nearly mirroring TMC's vote share of 34.13 per cent in 2021. In Naihati, TMC's Sanat Dey won with 78,772 votes, defeating BJP's Rupak Mitra by 49,277 votes. TMC's vote share increased to 62.97 per cent, up from 50 per cent in 2021, while BJP's share fell to 23.58 per cent, a significant drop from 38 per cent in 2021.

In Haroa, TMC's SK Rabiul Islam won with 1,57,072 votes, maintaining a commanding margin of 1,31,388 votes over Piyarul Islam of the ISF, who secured only 25,684 votes. This result underscores TMC's dominance among minorities in South Bengal. TMC's vote share surged to 76.63 per cent, while the ISF managed just 12.53 per cent, compared to 57.34 per cent for the TMC in 2021. In Medinipur, TMC's Sujoy Hazra won with 115,104 votes, a margin of 33,996 votes over BJP's Subhajit Roy, who secured 81,108 votes. TMC's vote share reached 53.43 per cent, compared to the BJP's 37.67 per cent, reflecting a similar outcome to 2021, when TMC had 50.72 per cent and the BJP had 40.51 per cent in this tribal-dominated seat. In Taldangra, TMC's Falguni Singhababu is leading with 54,327 votes, maintaining a margin of 20,273 votes over BJP's Ananya Roy Chakraborty, who received 34,054 votes. West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee expressed her gratitude to the people of the state for their continued support, saying, “I would like to thank and congratulate the 'Maa, Mati, and Manush' from the bottom of my heart. Your blessings will help us work for the people in the coming days,” in a social media post. TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee congratulated all six TMC candidates for their decisive victories, claiming they had “defied the narratives created by the Zamindars, the media, and a section of the Calcutta High Court to defame Bengal for their own vested interests.”

He also expressed special thanks to the people of Madarihat. "I bow before the people of West Bengal for democratically dismantling the Bangla Birodhis, their fake narratives, and reaffirming their trust in us." BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar downplayed the significance of the bypoll results. “Bypoll results cannot serve as a reliable indicator. Whether the people are with the TMC or against them will be reflected in the upcoming assembly elections,” Majumdar said. The bypolls marked a significant setback for the CPI(M)-led Left Front and the Congress. The Left, accused by TMC of masterminding the prolonged doctor's protests, failed to capitalise on the public anger surrounding the RG Kar incident, losing in all constituencies. Since the 2021 assembly elections, the TMC has won every by-election, except the Sagardighi bypoll in March 2023, which was later won by a Congress candidate who later switched to the TMC. With this victory, TMC's tally in the 294-member state assembly rises to 216, further consolidating its position. The BJP's tally drops to 69, from 77 in 2021. - PTI

New Delhi: The ruling BJP secured its hold over Uttar Pradesh with its candidates winning from two constituencies and leading in four of the nine seats that went to polls, while the Trinamool Congress maintained its foothold over West Bengal and the Congress in Karnataka, according to trends available on Saturday for bypolls to 46 assembly seats in 13 states. In a boost to the Bhagwant Mann led government, the ruling AAP in Punjab won three seats while the Congress secured one of the four seats for which bypolls were held.

The Bharat Adivasi Party (BAP) in Rajasthan won the Chorasi seat and was leading in another while the BJP won Salumbar and was leading in three other seats. The Congress was ahead in one. The ruling NDA in Bihar swept the bypolls to four assembly segments, retaining Imamganj and wresting from the INDIA bloc Tarari, Ramgarh and Belaganj, receiving a boost ahead of the assembly elections due next year. The ruling National People's Party (NPP) in Meghalya also got a boost as party candidate and chief minister's wife Mehtab Chandee Agitok Sangma won the Gambegre bypoll. Bypolls were also held for two Lok Sabha seats in Kerala's Wayanad and Maharashtra's Nanded. In Wayanad, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was ahead of her rival while in Nanded the BJP candidate was ahead. In the bypolls to nine assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh, which are being seen as a precursor to the 2027 assembly polls, the BJP won from two seats of Ghaziabad and Khair and was leading in Kundarki, Phulpur, Katehari and Majhawan seats. Its ally RLD was leading in Meerapur. The Samajwadi Party secured the Sishmau seat and was leading in Karhal.

As the results came in, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said it was a testament to the people's unwavering faith in the successful leadership and guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "The victory of the BJP-NDA in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly by-elections is a testament to the people's unwavering faith in the successful leadership and guidance of the esteemed Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji," he said on X.

"This victory is the result of the security, good governance and public welfare policies of the double engine government and the tireless hard work of dedicated workers," Adityanath said. Election results were out for the four seats in Punjab where Congress candidate Kuldeep Singh Dhillon won the Barnala assembly segment while AAP candidates won the three seats of Chabbewal, Dera Baba Nanak and Gidderbaha. Reinforcing its hold over West Bengal which has been seeing prolonged protests over the RG Kar Medical College incident, the ruling TMC won four seats, wresting the key Madarihat seat from the BJP, and took unassailable leads in two others across all six assembly constituencies. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said the results of the by-elections would help her work for the people. "I would like to thank and congratulate the 'Maa, Mati and Manush' from the bottom of my heart. Your blessings will help us work for the people in the coming days. We all are common people and that is our identity. We are not zamindars, but the custodians of the people," she posted on X.

According to the Election Commission, TMC has already won the Naihati, Sitai, Haroa and Madarihat seats, and was leading by big margins in Taldangra and Medinipur. In Karnataka, the ruling Congress won the three seats of Channapatna, Shiggaon and Sandur. Giving credit to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's leadership as well as the five guarantees for the Congress party's success in the assembly bypolls, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said this victory was a prelude to the 2028 assembly election where the party would once again win. In neighbouring Kerala, Congress-led UDF candidate Rahul Mamkootathil extended his lead by over 15,000 votes in Palakkad assembly bypoll while ruling LDF candidate U R Pradeep won the Chelakkara seat. Madhya Pradesh saw the Congress candidate leading by 4,747 votes in Vijaypur assembly seat, while the BJP candidate was ahead in Budhni constituency by 5,362 votes.

In Chhattisgarh, BJP candidate Sunil Kumar Soni was leading by 20,629 votes over his Congress rival Akash Sharma in Raipur City South assembly bypoll while in Gujarat, Congress candidate Gulabsinh Rajput widened his lead by 13,978 votes over his BJP rival Swarupji Thakor. The assembly bypolls were held in nine seats in Uttar Pradesh, seven seats in Rajasthan, six seats in West Bengal, five seats in Assam, four seats each in Punjab and Bihar, three seats in Karnataka, two seats in Madhya Pradesh and Kerala, and one seat each in Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Uttarakhand and Meghalaya. - PTI

Lucknow: BJP candidates won the Ghaziabad and Khair Assembly seats while the Samajwadi Party bagged Sishamau in the Uttar Pradesh by-elections, results of which were announced on Saturday.

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is leading in four seats and its ally RLD in one seat. The the SP is leading in Karhal Assembly seat, the Election Commission of India said. According to the EC, in the by-election held in Ghaziabad, BJP's Sanjeev Sharma defeated SP's Singh Raj Jatav by a margin of 69,351 votes. Sharma got a total of 96,946 votes. In Khair, BJP's Surender Diler got 1,00,181 votes defeating his rival SP's Charu Kain by a margin of 38,393 votes. The SP retained the Sishamau Assembly seat with its candidate Naseem Solanki defeating her nearest rival by 8,564 votes. Solanki secured 69,714 votes while the BJP's Suresh Awasthi got 61,150 and the Bahujan Samaj Party's (BSP) Virendra Kumar 1,410, the EC said. Solanki's husband Irfan Solanki had won the seat in 2012, 2017 and 2022. The bypolls held on Wednesday were necessitated due to Irfan Solanki's disqualification from the Assembly following his conviction in a criminal case. - PTI

Jaipur: Rajasthan BJP President Madan Rathore on Saturday claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party has won the Assembly bypolls in Jhunjhunu, Khinwsar, Deoli-Uniara, Ramgarh and Salumbar, while recounting of votes is underway in Dausa.

As per the latest Election Commission of India (ECI) figures, BJP candidates are leading in five seats -- Jhunjhunu, Khinwsar, Deoli-Uniara, Ramgarh and Salumbar, Congress is ahead in Dausa, while the Bharat Adivasi Party (BAP) nominee has won the Chorasi Assembly seat. "We have won five seats while recounting is underway in Dausa. I am hopeful of a positive result," Rathore told reporters here. "Though we lost in Chorasi, our candidate secured more votes as compared to the 2023 Assembly elections," he added. As per the ECI, BJP candidates Rewant Ram Danga (Khinwsar), Rajendra Bhamboo (Jhunjhunu), Rajendra Gujar (Deoli-Uniara), Sukhwant Singh (Ramgarh) and Shanta Meena (Salumbar) are in the lead, while Congress' Deen Dayal is ahead by a thin margin in Dausa. BAP nominee Anil Kumar Katara won the Chorasi seat after defeating his nearest rival Karilal Nanoma of the BJP by 24,370 votes. - PTI

Lucknow: The Samajwadi Party on Saturday retained the Sishamau assembly seat in Uttar Pradesh with its candidate Naseem Solanki defeating her nearest rival by 8,564 votes.

According to the Election Commission, Solanki secured 69,714 votes while the BJP's Suresh Awasthi got 61,150 and the Bahujan Samaj Party's (BSP) Virendra Kumar 1,410. Solanki's husband Irfan Solanki had won the seat in 2012, 2017 and 2022. The bypoll, which was held on Wednesday, was necessitated by Irfan Solanki's disqualification from the assembly following his conviction in a criminal case. - PTI