Voting for by-elections to 7 assembly seats in 6 states of the country
Voting is going on today for by-elections in seven assembly seats of six states of the country. These assembly constituencies include Ghosi in Uttar Pradesh, Dhupguri in West Bengal, Puthupalli in Kerala, Bageshwar in Uttarakhand, Dumri in Jharkhand and Boxanagar and Dhanpur in Tripura. The counting of votes will take place on September 8. This by-election, which will be held before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, is being considered as a credibility battle for both the BJP and India. Along with this, all eyes are fixed on the Ghosi seat of Uttar Pradesh. This seat is a major contest between BJP and Samajwadi Party.
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By-elections to 7 seats in 6 states
Let it be said that by-elections are being held in Dhupguri, Puthupalli, Bageshwar, Dumri and Boxanagar due to the death of sitting MLAs, while MLAs from Ghosi and Dhanpur have resigned from their posts. A by-election is being held in Ghosi due to the resignation of SP MLA Dara Singh Chauhan. After resigning from SP, Dara Singh Chauhan joined BJP. Now BJP has fielded Dara Singh against SP in Ghosi by-election. Dara Singh is contesting against SP candidate Sudhakar Singh.
# Look Jharkhand: Voting is underway for the Dumri assembly by-election
(Scenes from Booth No. 347) pic.twitter.com/0LWBHj8CoZ
— ANI (@ANI) September 5, 2023
The credibility of BJP and SP is at stake.
BJP candidate Dara Singh has been MLA from Ghosi from 2012 to 2017. Now BJP has once again expressed confidence in Dara Singh. While Congress is supporting its ally SP on this seat. The Ghosi by-election is important for both the BJP and the SP, as it is the first contest after the formation of the ‘Bharat’ alliance of opposition parties. It is also being seen as a semi-final for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Major fight between BJP-CPM in Tripura
On the other hand, BJP icon Pratima Bhowmik had resigned from Dhanpur seat in order to retain his Lok Sabha seat in Tripura. Because of this, a by-election has become necessary here. In Dhanpur seat, BJP has fielded Pratima Bhowmik’s brother Bindu Debnath against CPI-M candidate Kaushik Chanda. On the other hand, Tripura’s Boxanagar seat has fallen vacant due to the death of CPI(M) MLA Samsul Haq. In this seat, BJP’s Tafzal Hussain is in direct competition with MUCPIM’s Mizan Hussain.
Voting for by-elections also in Uttarakhand and Kerala
The Bageshwar seat by-election in Uttarakhand is being held due to the death of BJP MLA Chandan Ram Das. The BJP has fielded Das’s wife Parvati against Congress’ Basant Kumar and SP’s Bhagwati Prasad. At the same time, Kerala’s Puthupalli seat has fallen vacant due to the demise of veteran Congress leader Ooman Chandy. On this seat, the Congress-led UDF has fielded Ooman Chandy’s son Chandi Omen. He is up against Jack C Thomas of the ruling CPI(M).
Who will win in Jharkhand and West Bengal?
Dumri seat of Jharkhand has fallen vacant due to the death of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha MLA Jagarnath Mahato. In this seat, JMM has fielded Mahato’s wife Baby Devi against NDA’s Yashoda Devi and AIMIM’s Abdul Rizvi. Due to the death of BJP MLA Bishnu Padare, a by-election is being held in West Bengal’s Dhupguri assembly seat. Here BJP’s Taapsee Roy will face TMC candidate Nirmal Chandra Roy and CPI(M) candidate Ishwar Chandra Roy.
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