INDIA Bloc Dominates Bypoll, Wins 10 of 13 Assembly Seats

The INDIA bloc, which posed a strong challenge to the BJP-led NDA in the Lok Sabha elections, won 10 out of 13 seats in the assembly bypolls in seven states. The saffron party, meanwhile, has secured two seats while an Independent bagged the remaining seat.

In Punjab, AAP's Mohinder Bhagat scored a decisive victory in the Jalandhar West constituency, with a margin exceeding 23,000 votes. Meanwhile, in West Bengal, the TMC showcased its dominance by capturing all four seats contested.

Himachal Pradesh witnessed a notable debut as Kamlesh Thakur, wife of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, secured victory in the Dehra constituency. The Congress further strengthened its position by claiming the Nalagarh seat, while the BJP managed to secure a win in Hamirpur. Chief Minister Sukhu, after the win said that the people of Himachal Pradesh have given a befitting reply to those hatching "conspiracies to topple the government".

In Tamil Nadu, the DMK's Anniyur Siva won the Vikravandi assembly seat by a significant margin of nearly 60,000 votes. The Congress won both seats in Uttarakhand, while the BJP's Kamslesh Pratap Shahi won the Amarwar seat in Madhya Pradesh.

Independent candidate Shankar Singh won the Rupauli assembly bypoll in Bihar's Purnea, defeating JDU's Kaladhar Prasad Mandal by a margin of 8,246 votes.

These bypolls were the first since the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, which saw the BJP winning 240 seats - 32 short of the majority. The NDA, however, managed to cross the halfway mark of 272 with a total tally of 293 seats. The Congress-led INDIA bloc clinched 232 seats.