Ruling parties win by-polls in 6 states

Parliamentary affairs minister Ananth Kumar claimed bypoll results were a thumbs-up for Narendra Modi government's demonetisation decision

Parliamentary affairs minister Ananth Kumar on Tuesday claimed bypoll results were a thumbs-up for Narendra Modi government’s demonetisation decision. Trinamool Congress chief and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee claimed those were a vote against demonetisation.
 
However, the only trend apparent from the results was the predictable — the results of four parliamentary and 10 assembly constituencies, across six states and one Union territory, went to ruling parties. The voting for the bypolls had taken place on November 19.
 
Trinamool scored some of the biggest wins in the assembly constituency of Monteswar and Lok Sabha seats of Coochbehar and Tamluk. The results indicated continuing slide of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) gaining at the expense of the Left parties.

 

The BJP retained the Shahdol Lok Sabha seat and Nepanagar assembly seat in Madhya Pradesh. The BJP had won Shahdol, a scheduled-tribe-reserved constituency, by a margin of nearly 240,000 votes in 2014, which dropped to 58,000 votes. Nepanagar win saw the BJP’s victory margin drop marginally. Madhya Pradesh has a BJP-run state government.
 
In Tamil Nadu, the ruling AIADMK won all three assembly constituencies — Aravakurichi, Thanjavur, Thiruparankundram — comfortably. AIADMK is All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.
 
In Assam, the ruling BJP won the Lakhimpur parliamentary constituency, that chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal had vacated, and Baithalangso assembly constituency. Sonowal attributed the huge margins of victory to Modi government’s “jihad against corruption”. Modi tweeted: "I thank people for the continued faith in BJP and in the BJP's unwavering focus on development and good governance."

 
The Tripura-ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist) retained Khowai assembly constituency and wrested Barjala assembly seat from the Congress. The surprise was BJP replacing Congress as runner-up. Congress got a measly three per cent vote share in Barjala, against CPI (M)’s 45 per cent and BJP’s 35 per cent.
 
In Arunachal Pradesh, the ruling BJP won the Hayuliang assembly seat, which fell vacant after the death of former chief minister Kalikho Pul. Dasangla Pul, his wife, won the seat. Puducherry chief minister V Narayanasamy won the Nellithope assembly seat.