Trend tallies from assembly polls in multiple states – Tripura, Gujarat and Nagaland – on Monday indicated a strong performance by the BJP in key constituencies, while regional dynamics, sympathy factors and choice of candidates appear to have played a crucial role in shaping the results.
Tripura: Religious orientation and development pillar drive BJP’s tremendous progress
In Tripura’s Dharmanagar, the BJP was heading for a landslide victory, with candidate Jhar Chakraborty holding a lead of about 14,000 votes over his Congress rival Chayan Bhattacharya after early rounds of counting, according to Election Commission data. Chakraborty received 18,754 votes to Bhattacharya’s 4,766, while Communist Party of India’s Amitabha Dutta remained in third place with 4,371 votes.
The bypoll, necessitated by the death of Parliament Speaker Biswa Bandu Sen, saw a high turnout of 79.84 per cent on April 9, indicating strong voter participation. The agency’s report indicated that security measures remained tight during the counting process, with prohibition orders being implemented around the counting center, and senior police officials supervising the arrangements to ensure the smoothness of the process.
Read also | Bypolls: 58% turnout in Pawar stronghold Baramati
Gujarat: Legacy and organizational strength propel the BJP forward
In Umrith seat in Gujarat, BJP candidate Harshad Parmar achieved a huge lead of over 26,000 votes over Congress candidate Bhujurajsinh Chauhan, maintaining his advantage in all rounds of counting, PTI reported.
Parmar received 69,851 votes after 18 rounds, compared to Chouhan’s 43,185 votes, with the other candidates trailing far behind. The contest was largely shaped by old politics, as the bypoll was conducted after the death of BJP MLA Govind Parmar, with the party fielding his son Harshad in his first major election test.
The Congress candidate, an experienced local leader and former taluka panchayat president, failed to bridge the gap despite his organizational experience, suggesting that the BJP’s entrenched base in the constituency remained intact. The seat recorded a voter turnout of 59.04 per cent on April 23.
Read also | The Koridang poll in Nagaland recorded a voter turnout of 82.21%
Nagaland: Consensus politics gives BJP an advantage in close contest
In Nagaland’s Kuredang constituency, BJP’s Dautsher Imchen led by 1,599 votes over independent candidate Toshikaba after the initial rounds of counting, reflecting a relatively tougher competition compared to other states, PTI reported.
Imchen received 4,554 votes to Toshikaba’s 2,955, while other candidates followed, including another independent candidate and a New Patriotic Party candidate. The bypoll was necessitated by the death of BJP MLA Imkong L Imchen and witnessed a high turnout of 82.21 per cent, with over 18,000 voters participating.
It is worth noting that Imchen was also the consensus candidate of the ruling coalition, which appears to have succeeded in consolidating votes in its favour, even as independents mounted a competitive challenge.
Maharashtra: Sympathy wave and political vacuum determine results
In Maharashtra, polls in Baramati and Rahuri highlighted the role of empathy. Sunetra Pawar, wife of late NCP leader Ajit Pawar, led comfortably in Baramati with 53,478 votes after six rounds, far outperforming lesser-known candidates, most of whom failed to cross even 200 votes, the agency report said.
The contest effectively turned into a one-sided race after the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi chose not to field a candidate, giving Pawar a virtual win, even as she campaigned for support in honor of her late husband. The seat, a long-standing stronghold of the Pawar family, recorded a voter turnout of 58.27 per cent.
In Rahuri, the BJP’s Akshay Kardel was leading by over 41,000 votes against Govind Mukate of the Congress Party (SP), continuing the trend of sympathy-driven contests, where bypolls were necessitated by the death of his father and sitting in the NLA Shivaji Kardel.
Read also | ‘Time will answer’: DK Shivakumar downplays power shuffling in Karnataka
Karnataka: Divided governance reflects local political battles
Poll trends in Karnataka presented a mixed picture, with both the Congress and the BJP maintaining their positions in different constituencies. In Bagalkot, Congress candidate Umesh Mete led BJP’s Veerabhadraya Charantimath by 9,969 votes, while in Davanagere South, BJP’s Srinivas T Dasakaryappa led Congress’ Samarth Mallikarjun by 8,539 votes, according to Election Commission figures.
Both the by-polls were triggered by the death of incumbent MLAs.
(with PTI inputs)
