Ruling parties sweep bypolls in Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Assam, Puducherry

West Bengal delivered two significant wins for the BJP, which defeated its rivals in Nandigram and Rejinagar. The results came amid political tensions, with the Congress demanding repolling in both constituencies and Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP) chief Humayun Kabir being arrested on polling day, October 6, following a heated argument with police personnel at his party office in Rejinagar, where polling was underway.

The twin victories carried distinct political implications for the BJP. In Nandigram, the party consolidated its position in a constituency closely associated with Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari’s political rise. Its win in Rejinagar, a Muslim-majority constituency, signalled an expansion of its electoral reach beyond its traditional support base. The results marked an electoral test for the party after it ended the Trinamool Congress’s 15-year rule in the state earlier this year.

In Nandigram, BJP candidate Hasirani Rath won by 1,22,753 votes, securing 1,64,427 votes against 41,674 for Congress candidate Milan Pradhan, who was backed by former chief minister Mamata Banerjee. The BJP also won Rejinagar, where its candidate Shankharavh Sarkar polled 1,29,914 votes to defeat AJUP nominee Golam Nabi Azad by 75,816 votes.

In Assam, BJP candidate Devasish Sharma established an unassailable lead of 1,76,391 votes over his nearest rival, All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) chief Badruddin Ajmal, in the Nagaon Lok Sabha bypoll.

In Puducherry, the AINRC retained Thattanchavady, a constituency closely associated with party founder and CM N Rangasamy. Rangasamy had vacated the seat following the April 9 Assembly elections in the Union Territory.