Assam bypoll: Counting of votes begins for Nagaon Lok Sabha seat

Five by-elections across India will commence vote counting on Friday. The contests, held in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Assam, and Puducherry, will reveal how the BJP, Congress, and regional parties performed in these constituencies. West Bengal's Nandigram and Rejinagar witnessed a BJP victory in the 2026 Assembly polls and a political schism within the Trinamool Congress.

The outcome may indicate if the BJP's political gains have been translated into voter support. Nandigram is a crucial seat for both the BJP and TMC; Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari won it from Mamata Banerjee in 2021 and retained it in 2026, subsequently moving to another constituency. The BJP has fielded Hasirani Rath, while her son, Chandranath Rath, a former Adhikari aide, was killed on May 6, two days after the BJP's Assembly poll win.

The Congress candidate is Milan Pradhan, alongside other competitors from rival TMC factions and the CPI. Rejinagar sees a multi-cornered contest, with candidates from AJUP, BJP, TMC factions, Safiuzzaman Sheikh (rival TMC), Mohammad Abdullahil Kafi (Congress), and CPI(M) contesting. Both constituencies recorded an 80% voter turnout.

The Congress demanded fresh elections, claiming voter intimidation and irregularities. In Tamil Nadu, bye-elections in Madurantakam and Dharapuram follow the resignation of former AIADMK MLAs K Maragatham Kumaravel and P Satyabama, who joined the ruling Tamil Vaazhkai Kazhagam. Both are seeking re-election, while the DMK and AIADMK are also fielding candidates.

Madurantakam's 83.86% turnout is the highest among the reported constituencies. Dharapuram saw a 78.53% turnout. Assam's Nagaon Lok Sabha bypoll tests the BJP, Congress, and All India United Democratic Front's ability to expand their support in a Muslim-majority constituency. The BJP aims to increase their presence, while Congress seeks to retain minority voter support.

AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal hopes to revive his party's fortunes. Fifteen contenders contest the bypoll, with Devashish Sharma (BJP), Sibamoni Bora (former Congress MLA), and Badruddin Ajmal (AIUDF) as the main rivals. The result could demonstrate whether the AIUDF can regain ground following its loss of 16 Assembly seats in the April elections, down from previous totals.

In Puducherry, the Thattanchavady byelection serves as an early assessment for the four-month-old NDA government. The seat became vacant after Chief Minister N Rangasamy's resignation. Eleven candidates are competing, with the main battle between the ruling NDA led by AINRC, Congress, and the DMK, a former ally. Thattanchavady registered an 78.83% voter turnout.