New Delhi: If anything will indicate the people’s reaction to the Centre’s shock withdrawal of two high-value banknotes, it will be these by-elections to four Lok Sabha and 10 Assembly seats, which were held in seven states and the union territory of Puducherry.
The day of reckoning will be November 22 when results are announced. The government has said people support the November 8 move despite some inconvenience as the target is black money, corruption and counterfeit currency.
Opposition parties have claimed deaths in queues in front of banks and ATMs while depositing Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes. The Congress already swept on Friday the panchayat polls in Gujarat’s Unjha.
Necessitated by deaths and resignations, two Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal and one each in Assam and Madhya Pradesh are up for grabs.
By-polls are also being held for three Assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu, two in Tripura, one each in Assam, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh and Arunachal Pradesh and Puducherry. Trinamul Congress chief Mamata Banerjee has hit the streets of Delhi protesting against the government’s move, which she says will hurt landless farmers and labourers.
Most opposition parties and even some NDA constituents such as Shiv Sena have been protesting the government’s demonetisation move. In Tamil Nadu, by-polls are being held in Thanjavur, Aravakurichi and Tiruparakundram seats.
