Trinamool Congress (TMC) candidates are leading by significant margins in all six assembly constituencies where by-elections were held in West Bengal. The vote counting, which began at 8 am on Saturday, has shown TMC maintaining a commanding lead in the constituencies of Naihati, Haroa, Medinipur, Taldangra, Sitai (SC), and Madarihat (ST).
The bypolls were necessitated after the resignation of sitting MLAs who vacated their seats following their victories in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The outcomes of these bypolls are being closely watched as a crucial political test for the ruling TMC, with these contests serving as an important measure of the party’s dominance in the state.
Key trends from the bypolls
In Sitai, a Scheduled Caste (SC) seat, TMC's Sangita Roy is leading with a massive 73,452 votes, holding a commanding margin of 60,493 votes over BJP's Dipak Kumar Ray, who has secured 12,959 votes. In Madarihat, a Scheduled Tribe (ST) seat, TMC’s Jayprakash Toppo is ahead by 39,353 votes, leading BJP’s Rahul Lohar, who has secured 21,375 votes. Madarihat was previously won by the BJP in the 2021 assembly elections, making it one of the key battlegrounds for the party in this election.
In Naihati, TMC's Sanat Dey holds a significant lead with 40,663 votes, far ahead of BJP’s Rupak Mitra, who has secured 15,461 votes. TMC’s SK Rabiul Islam is also leading by a large margin in Haroa, with 48,107 votes, compared to 6,441 votes for Piyarul Islam from the All India Secular Front (AISF).
These early trends suggest a strong performance for the TMC, especially in the South Bengal constituencies, which have been traditional strongholds for the party. Despite the BJP’s hopes of retaining its northern seat in Madarihat, the party is trailing in all constituencies, including its former bastion in the north.
A close look at results
The TMC’s lead across all constituencies, especially in key seats like Sitai and Madarihat, demonstrates the party’s continued strength in West Bengal’s political landscape. With results still coming in, all eyes are on the final outcome, which will determine the fate of the 34 candidates who contested in these bypolls.
As the vote counting progresses, TMC is clearly positioned to make significant gains, further cementing its hold on the state ahead of the 2024 assembly elections. For the BJP, the results in Madarihat and other constituencies will be a blow to their efforts to challenge TMC's supremacy in the state, especially in the south.
