BJP dominates bypolls in Bengal and Assam; TVK wins in Tamil Nadu, NR Congress in Puducherry

NEW DELHI: The BJP registered decisive victories in the Nandigram and Rejinagar Assembly constituencies in West Bengal and the Nagaon Lok Sabha constituency in Assam, where by-elections were held. The NDA ally NR Congress won the Thattanchavady Assembly seat in Puducherry, while Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) emerged victorious in the Madurantakam and Dharapuram constituencies in Tamil Nadu.

The BJP retained Nandigram and wrested Rejinagar from the Janata Unnayan Party and the Nagaon Lok Sabha seat from the Congress. With the victory in Nagaon, the BJP's strength in the Lok Sabha has increased to 241. In Nagaon, BJP candidate Devasish Sharma defeated AIUDF candidate Badruddin Ajmal. The Congress finished third.

In Puducherry's Thattanchavady constituency, NR Congress candidate Ashok Anand defeated Congress candidate E. Vinayagam by 8,482 votes. The DMK finished third, followed by the CPI in fourth place.

In Dharapuram, TVK's Sathyabama defeated DMK candidate Sukanya by 9,471 votes. In Madurantakam, TVK candidate Maragatham Kumaravel defeated DMK candidate Paranthaman.

Trinamool finishes third in Rejinagar

In Nandigram, which was closely watched across the country, BJP candidate Hasi Rani Rath secured 1,22,753 votes. The Congress finished second, while the CPM came third. In Rejinagar, BJP candidate Sakharav Sarkar defeated the AJP candidate with 75,816 votes. The Congress and the Trinamool Congress finished third and fourth, respectively.