BJP leads in Madhya Pradesh by-polls, Jyotiraditya Scindia's big test

BHOPAL: The BJP, powered by ex-Congress man Jyotiraditya Scindia, took a lead in the Madhya Pradesh bypolls as votes were counted in 56 assembly (and one Lok Sabha) seats across a dozen states. The contests in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh are the most absorbing. Half the vacant seats are in Madhya Pradesh, where the result will be viewed by many as a comment on Jyotiraditya Scindia and the clout he may (or may not) wield since he quit the Congress in March and crossed over to the BJP.

Seven seats will be filled in UP, with the one held by the BJP's Kuldeep Singh Sengar the highlight; it fell vacant after he was convicted in the Unnao rape case in December last year. Other states where bypolls were held - on November 3 - include Karnataka, Gujarat, Odisha, and Telangana. Bypolls for seats in Manipur and a Lok Sabha constituency in Bihar were held November 7. All elections took place amid strict restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Three ministers in the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government in Madhya Pradesh are trailing behind their Congress rivals even as the ruling BJP has taken a lead in 17 of the 28 Assembly constituencies, as per the trends of counting on Tuesday.

The opposition Congress is ahead in nine seats out of the 27 constituencies for which trends are available. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) is leading in Morena seat, as per the Election Commission data.

Ministers Aidal Singh Kansana, Girraj Dandotia, and OPS Bhadoria are struggling in Sumaoli, Dimani and Mehgaon seats, respectively, where their Congress rivals have taken a lead.

Elsewhere, BJP candidates are leading in 16 seats by a margin ranging from 312 votes (Dabra) to 17,283 votes (Badnawar), while Congress contestants are ahead in Sumaoli, Dimni, Ambah, Mehgaon, Gohad, Bhander, Karera, Biora and Agar constituencies.

Tulsiram Silawat of the BJP is leading by a margin of 8,238 votes from Sanver against his Congress rival.

BJP candidates are ahead in Gwalior, Gwalior East, Dabra, Bamori, Ashok Nagar, Mugaoli, Surkhi, Bada Malhera, Anuppur, Sanchi, Hatpiplya, Mandhata, Nepanagar, Badnawar, Suwasara and Jaura seats.

A total of 355 candidates, including 12 ministers, contested the byelections held on November 3.

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, a total of 70.27 per cent voter turnout was recorded.