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Journalism of Courage
As many as seven Assembly constituencies in six states will go to polls on November 3. Bypolls were necessitated in these states after the sitting MLAs either passed away, switched parties or were convicted in criminal cases. The counting of votes is scheduled to be held on November 6. Here’s all you need to know.
The bypolls in Andheri East were necessitated due to the untimely death of Sena MLA Ramesh Latke. What may have been a high-octane battle between the two rival Senas, led by Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde, the bypoll is expected to culminate with a win for Rutuja Latke of the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray).
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) withdrew its candidate Murji Patel after both the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) of Raj Thackeray and the NCP appealed to the party not to field a candidate against Rutuja.
According to the list of candidates provided by the state Election Commission, apart from Rutuja, four Independent candidates and one each from Aapki Apni Party (Peoples) and Right to Recall party are in the fray.
The Mokama seat fell vacant after Anant Singh, the sitting MLA, was dismissed due to a conviction in a criminal case. The Assembly constituency is set for a proxy battle between two Bhumihar strongmen: four-time MLA from the seat Anant Singh, popularly known as ‘Chhote Sarkar’, and Nalini Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh. Although neither leader is contesting the bypoll on his own, their wives — Neelam Devi of Rashtriya Janata Dal and Sonam Devi of BJP, respectively — are in the running.
The contest in Gopalganj was necessitated due to the death of sitting BJP MLA Subhash Singh.
Singh’s wife and BJP candidate Kusum Devi is looking to retain the seat. She will be up against RJD’s Mohan Gupta, Bahujan Samaj Party candidate Indira Yadav, who is the wife of Anirudh Yadav — Lalu Prasad’s brother in-law — and AIMIM’s Aslam Mukhiya.
The bypolls in both Mokama and Gopalganj will be the first electoral test for Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who ended his alliance with BJP, forming the Mahagathbandhan with the support of RJD.
Adampur is set for a high-stakes battle after former sitting MLA Kuldeep Bishnoi resigned from the Vidhan Sabha in August to switch from the Congress to the BJP.
The contestants in the fray include Kuldeep’s son Bhavya Bishnoi for the BJP. The bypoll will be a test for BJP-JJP ties as party insiders say that Bhavya’s win will put both Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and the BJP in a more commanding position over the Jannayak Janta Party (JJP).
Bhavya is facing a strong pushback from the Opposition parties. Congress, which has fielded Jai Prakash, is building its campaign on the anti-incumbency factor and farmers’ resentment against BJP. The Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), meanwhile, has fielded Kurdaram Nambardar and is attacking the BJP for fielding 29-year-old Bhavya, who was educated abroad and spent most time of his youth there. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which is testing waters with the bypoll ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, has fielded Satendar Singh.
The Munugode constituency will witness a bypoll after sitting MLA Komatireddy Raj Gopal Reddy resigned on August 2. Reddy quit the Congress and joined the BJP on August 21. Union Home Minister Amit Shah has nominated him to contest the bypoll again.
The bypoll has prompted a spate of defections in both the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) and the Congress party. The ruling TRS has fielded K Prabhakar Reddy, who had lost to Komatireddy Raj Gopal Reddy in the December 2018 Assembly elections. The Congress has nominated Palvai Sravanthi Reddy, the daughter of former MLA and ex-Rajya Sabha MP Palvai Govardhan Reddy.
The bypoll was necessitated in Gola Gokarannath Assembly seat of Lakhimpur Kheri district following the death of sitting MLA Arvind Giri, who suffered a cardiac arrest last month.
The BJP has fielded his son, Aman Giri, to contest the bypoll. He will be up against former MLA and Samajwadi Party (SP) candidate Vinay Tiwari. In 2012, Tiwari won from this seat but failed to retain it in subsequent elections in 2017 and 2022, losing to Arvind Giri.
The seat fell vacant due to the untimely demise of sitting BJP MLA Bishnu Charan Das. His son, Suryabanshi Suraj, will be contesting for the BJP. He is up against ruling Biju Janta Dal (BJD)’s Abanti Das and Congress candidate Baba Harekrushna Seth. Former MLA Rajendra Das is also in the fray as an Independent candidate. He was expelled by the BJD for “anti-party activities” after he filed his nomination.
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