Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Oct 9: Counting of votes for bypolls to five Assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Puducherry, along with the Nagaon Lok Sabha constituency in Assam, will begin at 8 am on Friday.
In Tamil Nadu, counting for the Madurantakam and Dharapuram Assembly constituencies will take place under a three-tier security arrangement. The bypolls, held after the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) came to power in May, are being viewed as a test of the party's popularity. The opposition AIADMK is hoping to regain the seats it lost to the TVK in the April Assembly elections.
In West Bengal, the results of the Nandigram and Rejinagar Assembly bypolls are expected to provide an indication of the state's political mood after the BJP ended the Trinamool Congress's 15-year rule. Although the bypolls held on Tuesday are not a referendum on the BJP government's four-month tenure, the results will be closely watched to assess the party's electoral strength following its transition from the opposition to the government. The outcome may also provide insights into the opposition's position amid a fragmented political landscape.
According to the Election Commission, nearly 80 per cent of the approximately 5.24 lakh eligible voters in the two constituencies exercised their franchise. Nandigram recorded a voter turnout of 80.89 per cent, while Rejinagar registered 80.08 per cent.
Polling in the two West Bengal constituencies was marred by allegations of voter intimidation, irregularities at polling booths and sporadic clashes.
In Assam, the result of the bypoll to the Nagaon Lok Sabha constituency will also be declared on Friday. The by-election was necessitated by the resignation of Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi, who subsequently contested the Assembly elections from Dispur on a BJP ticket earlier this year.
Key candidates in the Nagaon contest include former Congress MLA Sibamoni Bora, former IAS officer Devasish Sharma of the BJP and AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal.
Polling across the constituencies was conducted under tight security. The Election Commission said necessary assistance and facilities were provided to senior citizens, persons with disabilities and other voters to ensure the smooth conduct of the electoral process.