Voting commenced on Thursday morning for by-elections to five Assembly constituencies spread across Gujarat, Punjab, Kerala, and West Bengal. The contests, though limited in number, carry significant political weight for both the ruling NDA and the Opposition INDIA bloc, as they seek to consolidate ground ahead of larger electoral battles.
Polling began at 7 a.m. and is being conducted under tight security arrangements, with central forces deployed in sensitive regions. Counting of votes will take place on 23 June.
Gujarat votes in Visavadar and Kadi
In Gujarat, elections are being held in the Visavadar constituency in Junagadh district and Kadi constituency in Mehsana district. Voting, scheduled to continue until 8 p.m., is being conducted through Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). A total of 294 polling stations have been set up in each seat, and a public holiday has been declared in both constituencies by the state government.
Nilambur turns into high-stakes contest in Kerala
In Kerala’s Nilambur seat in Malappuram district, polling began amid heightened political interest, with the constituency falling within the Wayanad Lok Sabha segment, currently held by Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
The by-election was necessitated after the resignation of PV Anvar, a two-time MLA who had earlier aligned with the Left Front but switched to the Congress before eventually deciding to contest as an Independent.
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The Congress has fielded Aryadan Shoukath, son of former MLA Aryadan Mohammed, while the ruling Left Democratic Front is supporting M Swaraj. Anvar, who was earlier rumoured to be running on a Trinamool Congress ticket, has added an element of unpredictability to the contest.
Three-cornered fight in Bengal’s Kaliganj
In West Bengal, the Kaliganj Assembly constituency in Nadia district is witnessing a three-way contest. Voting will continue until 5 p.m., with 14 companies of central paramilitary forces deployed to ensure peaceful polling.
The bypoll was necessitated following the death of Trinamool Congress MLA Nasiruddin Ahamed in February. His daughter, Alifa Ahamed, is contesting the seat as the Trinamool Congress nominee.
The BJP has nominated Ashis Ghosh, while Congress candidate Kabil Uddin Shaikh is contesting with the backing of the CPI(M), setting up a triangular battle between the Trinamool, BJP, and the Congress-Left alliance.
Punjab’s Ludhiana West seat up for grabs
In Punjab, polling is underway in the Ludhiana West Assembly constituency, which fell vacant after the death of Aam Aadmi Party MLA Gurpreet Bassi Gogi earlier this year. Voting began at 7 a.m. and will continue until 6 p.m.
With results due on 23 June, all eyes remain on how each party performs in these crucial bypolls, which are being closely viewed as a test of public sentiment before state and national polls.
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