Counting Begins for Bypolls in Six Assembly and Lok Sabha Seats
Vote counting began on Friday, October 9, 2026, for by-elections to six Assembly and Lok Sabha seats across four states and the Union Territory of Puducherry. Early trends showed Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) candidates leading in the Madurantakam and Dharapuram Assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu. Political parties were also monitoring the results in Nandigram and Rejinagar in West Bengal, while the contest for Assam’s Nagaon Lok Sabha seat drew attention.
The by-elections cover two Assembly seats in West Bengal, two in Tamil Nadu, one in Puducherry and one Lok Sabha seat in Assam. Voting took place on October 6. The vacancies arose for different reasons, including legislators switching parties and resigning, and candidates retaining one constituency after winning elections from two seats.
Early counting trends showed TVK candidates Maragatham Kumaravel and P. Sathyabama leading in the Madurantakam and Dharapuram Assembly constituencies, respectively. Both candidates had previously won Assembly elections on AIADMK tickets before resigning from the party and joining TVK.
TVK renominated both candidates for the by-elections. The results will determine whether the party can retain electoral support in the two constituencies.
The early leads do not establish the final outcome, as vote margins may change during subsequent rounds of counting. The results will become clear after all counting rounds are completed.
The by-elections in Nandigram and Rejinagar have drawn attention amid developments involving candidate selection, political alliances and allegations concerning the electoral process.
In Nandigram, Trinamool Congress (TMC) candidate Sanchita Pradhan Dey withdrew her nomination. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee subsequently extended support to Congress candidate Milan Pradhan. According to the available information, Milan Pradhan was arrested in a case linked to the 2007 Nandigram movement and was later granted bail to contest the election.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) fielded Hasirani Rath from the constituency.
In the 2021 Assembly election, Suvendu Adhikari defeated Mamata Banerjee in Nandigram. Adhikari also won the constituency in the 2026 Assembly election but subsequently vacated it to retain the Bhabanipur seat, necessitating the by-election.
The Rejinagar contest involves several political parties and groups, including the BJP, Congress, factions associated with the TMC, the CPI(M) and the Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP).
Humayun Kabir won both the Rejinagar and Naoda constituencies in the 2026 Assembly election. He retained Naoda and vacated Rejinagar, triggering the by-election. AJUP fielded his son, Golam Nabi Azad, from Rejinagar.
The constituency is Muslim-majority, making the distribution of political support among the contesting parties a key feature of the election. The BJP has sought to reach voters on issues including development, employment and connectivity. AJUP's participation could also affect the electoral calculations of the Congress and TMC.
West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee president Shubhankar Sarkar questioned the electoral process, alleging that several voters in Nandigram had been unable to exercise their franchise. He also referred to demands for repolling in Nandigram and Rejinagar. These remain political allegations, and their status would depend on official statements and decisions by the relevant election authorities.
The Nagaon Lok Sabha by-election in Assam is being contested by BJP candidate Devashish Sharma, Congress nominee Sibamoni Bora and All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) chief Badruddin Ajmal. Sharma is a former Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer.
Ahead of counting, the administration tightened security arrangements. Additional vigilance in sensitive areas and increased deployment of security personnel were reported as measures to prevent any untoward incidents.
Ajmal expressed confidence in his party’s prospects and questioned the role of the Election Commission. He also demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Congress leaders separately registered their opposition over the electoral process.
The contest among the BJP, Congress and AIUDF will determine the winner of the Nagaon seat. The outcome cannot be assessed conclusively until the counting process is complete.
Counting is also under way for the by-election to the Thattanchavady Assembly constituency in Puducherry. The vacancy arose after Chief Minister N. Rangasamy won from two constituencies and vacated one seat.
The results in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry are being watched for indications of the parties' electoral support in the respective constituencies. However, the outcome in a single seat does not by itself establish a broader political trend across an entire state or Union Territory.
The six by-elections were necessitated by different circumstances. In Tamil Nadu, two seats fell vacant after legislators switched parties and resigned. In Puducherry, Rangasamy vacated one constituency after winning from two seats.
In West Bengal, Suvendu Adhikari and Humayun Kabir each vacated one constituency after winning from two constituencies in the 2026 Assembly election. In Assam, Lok Sabha member Pradyut Bordoloi vacated his parliamentary seat after winning an Assembly election.
The by-election results across the four states and Puducherry will establish the winners in the six constituencies. The main contests include the early leads for TVK candidates in Tamil Nadu, the Nandigram and Rejinagar races in West Bengal, and the three-way contest for Assam’s Nagaon Lok Sabha seat.
The early trends do not determine the final outcome. The winners will be confirmed after counting is completed and the election authorities formally declare the results.
