Polling Commences for 5 Legislative Assembly by-elections in 4 Regions
Let's Vote! Nationwide By-Elections Underway Amidst Tight Security
Here's the lowdown on the polling happening across various states as we speak.
Today's Polling Stations:Kaliganj (West Bengal), Nilambur (Kerala), Ludhiana West (Punjab), Kadi (Gujarat), and Visavadar (Gujarat).
As we spoke, the polling booths opened at 7:00 AM, and voters are stepping up to cast their votes now until 6:00 PM. With heightened security measures, central security forces and police officers are doing their rounds to ensure the election process runs smoothly, accompanied by extensive webcasting to monitor the by-elections.
High-Stakes Ludhiana West By-Poll
The by-election in Punjab's Ludhiana West assembly seat was prompted by the passing of AAP MLA Gurpreet Bassi Gogi in January. Expect some fierce competition between the heavyweights from AAP, Congress, BJP, and SAD to secure this urban constituency.
With a total of 14 candidates in the running and nearly 1,75,000 eligible voters (85,000 women and a handful of third-gender voters), 194 polling stations are all set for webcasting.
The AAP nominated Rajya Sabha member Sanjeev Arora to contest the Ludhiana West by-poll. Known for his philanthropic work and industrial prowess, Arora also boasts a substantial net worth of around Rs. 288 crore.
The Congress has pinned their hopes on former minister and Punjab Congress working president Bharat Bhushan Ashu. Ashu has represented the constituency twice in 2012 and 2017 but fell short to Gogi by a margin of 7,512 votes in the 2022 Assembly polls.
The BJP has fielded party leader Jiwan Gupta, while SAD named lawyer Parupkar Singh Ghuman as their pick for the by-election.
Interesting Battle in Nilambur, Kerala
The by-election for the Nilambur Assembly Constituency in Kerala was necessitated after Anvar, who was formerly a member of the CPI(M)-led LDF, stepped down from his post citing disagreements with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his aides. The final countdown is on for voters to decide among the 10 candidates in this intriguing arena, with ruling LDF's M. Swaraj, Congress-led UDF's Aryadan Shoukath, Trinamool Congress state convener and independent candidate P V Anvar, and BJP's Mohan George battling it out.
Kaliganj: A Tight Triangular Contest
The upcoming by-election in West Bengal's Nadia district – Kaliganj Assembly seat is predicted to be a nail-biter among the Trinamool Congress, BJP, and Congress-Left alliance. Identity politics, post-Murshidabad riot anxieties, and nationalist sentiments due to Operation Sindoor are expected to dominate the narrative in the electoral discourse.
The vacancy was triggered following the unfortunate demise of TMC MLA Nasiruddin Ahamed in February. His daughter Alifa is the TMC's nominee, while the BJP has fielded Ashis Ghosh and Congress has offered their support to Kabil Uddin Shaikh.
Three-way Showdown in Visavadar and Kadi
The by-elections for Visavadar and Kadi Assembly seats in Gujarat are also on the cards, with a triangular contest between the BJP, Congress, and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
The Visavadar Assembly seat has been up for grabs since December 2023 after the resignation of AAP MLA Bhupendra Bhayani, who later joined the BJP. The BJP has nominated Kirit Patel while Congress has fielded Nitin Ranpariya, and AAP has positioned Gopal Italia in the race.
Kadi, a reserved constituency for Scheduled Caste (SC) candidates, saw MLA Karsan Solanki's departure in February this year. The BJP has fielded Rajendra Chavda, while Congress has nominated Ramesh Chavda, who historically won the seat in 2012 but lost to Solanki in 2017. The AAP has put forward Jagdish Chavda for the by-election, setting up a three-way race between the three main political parties.
- With the Ludhiana West by-election being a high-stakes contest in the realm of politics, the policy-and-legislation aspect becomes crucial as the AAP, Congress, BJP, and SAD vie for the urban constituency, making war-and-conflicts, crime-and-justice, and general-news outlets closely monitor the diverse candidates and their agendas.
- In the upcoming by-election for the Nilambur Assembly Constituency in Kerala, various front-runners from the CPI(M)-led LDF, Congress-led UDF, Trinamool Congress, and BJP are engaging in fierce competition, creating a fascinating battlefield where the politics of the region take center stage in the heart of war-and-conflicts, crime-and-justice, policy-and-legislation, and general-news circles.
