Assembly bypoll results: BJP, AAP and TMC take early leads in key states as counting continues

New Delhi: The counting of votes for the Assembly by-elections held across five seats in Gujarat, Kerala, West Bengal, and Punjab is currently underway amid tight security. The bypolls, conducted on June 19, were necessitated due to the deaths or resignations of sitting MLAs. Early trends on Monday morning suggest a competitive battle, with the BJP, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), and Trinamool Congress (TMC) leading in their respective states.

In Gujarat’s Kadi constituency, BJP’s Rajendra Chavda is maintaining a steady lead. After the seventh round of counting, he leads Congress candidate Ramesh Chavda by 13,195 votes. The Kadi bypoll saw a turnout of 57.91 per cent, with voting conducted at Mewad’s GTU-ITR college in Mehsana district. Earlier updates indicated a narrower margin of 6,811 votes, which has widened as the counting progressed.

In Punjab’s Ludhiana West seat, AAP’s Sanjeev Arora is ahead of Congress’ Bharat Bhushan Ashu by 2,844 votes after the fourth round of counting. Arora had earlier led by 1,269 votes after initial trends. The Ludhiana West constituency saw the lowest turnout among all five seats, at 51.33 per cent.

Kerala’s Nilambur constituency, which recorded the highest voter turnout at 75.27 per cent, is yet to show definitive results. This seat saw polling due to the resignation of the sitting MLA, and it is being closely watched due to the high voter engagement.

In West Bengal’s Kaliganj seat, the Trinamool Congress is surging ahead. TMC candidate Alifa Ahamed secured 4,545 votes after the first round, maintaining a comfortable lead over Congress-CPI(M)-backed Kabil Uddin Shaikh and BJP’s Ashis Ghosh. As the count continued, Alifa’s lead extended to 4,549 votes over Ghosh. Kaliganj saw a high turnout of 73.36 per cent, indicating strong voter interest.