NEW DELHI: Bypolls were held on June 19 for five Assembly seats across Gujarat, Kerala, West Bengal, and Punjab, and counting took place on June 23. The contests saw a mix of gains and setbacks for national and regional parties. Here’s a state-wise breakdown:
Kerala: Congress’ UDF wins Nilambur in big blow to LDF
In a major setback for Kerala’s ruling LDF, the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) candidate Aryadan Shoukath defeated CPI(M)'s M Swaraj by a margin of 11,077 votes in the Nilambur bypoll. Shoukath, son of former minister Aryadan Mohammed, secured 77,737 votes, while Swaraj managed 66,660.
The seat fell vacant after two-time MLA PV Anvar, an LDF-backed independent, resigned. The victory gives the Congress a morale boost ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Lok Sabha MP from neighbouring Wayanad, congratulated Shoukath and said:
"We worked as a team, each one with commitment and single pointed focus, that is the most important lesson of this success... Your trust and belief in the values of our Constitution, and in the UDF’s vision for progress will be the guiding light for our way forward."
West Bengal: TMC’s Alifa Ahmed registers landslide win in Kaliganj
Trinamool Congress candidate Alifa Ahmed, daughter of late MLA Nasiruddin Ahmed, won the Kaliganj bypoll in Nadia district by a thumping 50,049-vote margin over BJP’s Ashish Ghosh. Alifa polled 1,02,759 votes, while Ghosh got 52,710. Congress’ Kabil Uddin Shaikh finished third with 28,348 votes.
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee thanked voters and dedicated the win to “Maa-Mati-Manush” and the late Nasiruddin Ahmed.
“In the by-election of the Kaliganj Assembly constituency, people from all religions, castes, communities, and all walks of life have overwhelmingly blessed us... I dedicate this victory to the people of Bengal,” she said.
Alifa, an engineer by training, quit her job in the private sector and entered politics inspired by MP Mahua Moitra.
Gujarat: AAP retains Visavadar, BJP holds Kadi
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate Gopal Italia defeated BJP’s Kirit Patel in Visavadar by a margin of 17,554 votes, reclaiming the seat that it had won in 2022 but lost due to the defection of its MLA, Bhupendra Bhayani, to the BJP.
Meanwhile, the BJP retained its Kadi seat where Rajendra Chavda won by nearly 40,000 votes, maintaining its grip on the constituency since 2017.
Punjab: AAP retains Ludhiana West, Congress’ Ashu resigns
In Punjab, the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) retained the Ludhiana West seat, with candidate Sanjeev Arora defeating Congress leader Bharat Bhushan Ashu by 10,637 votes. Arora secured 35,179 votes to Ashu’s 24,542.
The bypoll was necessitated after the death of sitting AAP MLA Gurpreet Bassi Gogi.
Soon after the defeat, Ashu announced his resignation as Punjab Congress working president, saying he was taking "moral responsibility" for the loss.
“I have tendered my resignation while taking moral responsibility for the electoral defeat in the by-election,” he told reporters in Ludhiana.
The BJP’s Jiwan Gupta polled 20,323 votes, and SAD’s Parupkar Singh Ghuman received 8,203.
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