Vote counting for six by-elections across Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Assam and Puducherry was underway on Friday, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leading in West Bengal's Nandigram and Rejinagar constituencies and Assam's Nagaon Lok Sabha seat. In Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) was ahead in Madurantakam and Dharapuram, while the All India N.R. Congress (AINRC) secured victory in Puducherry's Thattanchavady constituency.
The bypolls were held on October 6 across five Assembly constituencies and one Lok Sabha constituency. The results are being watched as an electoral test for the parties following the recent Assembly elections and changes in political alliances across the four regions.
BJP leads in Nandigram and Rejinagar
In West Bengal, BJP candidate Hasirani Rath was leading in Nandigram, while party candidate Shankharav Sarkar was ahead in Rejinagar as counting progressed.
Nandigram has remained a politically significant constituency because of the rivalry between West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari and Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Mamata Banerjee. The bypoll was necessitated after Adhikari vacated the seat to retain Bhabanipur.
Rath is the mother of Chandranath Rath, a former aide of Adhikari who was shot dead in May. The BJP fielded her from the constituency for the by-election.
#WATCH | Chengalpattu, Tamil Nadu: TVK MLA Thiagarajan and supporters burst crackers and celebrated outside the vote-counting centre as party candidate Maragatham Kumaravel lead the Madurantakam Assembly Bypoll second round of counting. Party supporters gather to celebrate. https://t.co/23BQ50xcnk
— ANI (@ANI) October 9, 2026
In Rejinagar, the contest followed Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP) chief Humayun Kabir's decision to retain the Nowda Assembly seat after winning both constituencies in the recent elections.
The BJP's leads in both constituencies are being closely monitored as the party seeks to consolidate its position in the state. Opposition parties have alleged irregularities during polling and demanded action, while the BJP has rejected the allegations.
TVK leads in Tamil Nadu, AIADMK challenges in Dharapuram
In Tamil Nadu, TVK candidates were ahead in Madurantakam and Dharapuram during the counting process, although the Dharapuram contest remained close.
K Maragatham Kumaravel was leading in Madurantakam, where AIADMK candidate S Kanitha Sampath and DMK candidate I Paranthaman were also in the fray.
In Dharapuram, TVK candidate P Sathyabama faced competition from AIADMK's K Bhanumathi and DMK's S Suganya. Early counting trends saw the AIADMK candidate take the lead before TVK moved ahead in subsequent rounds.
The two constituencies are being watched as an early test of support for Vijay's government. The bypolls followed the resignations of former AIADMK legislators Maragatham Kumaravel and Sathyabama, who joined TVK and were renominated by the ruling party.
AINRC wins Thattanchavady in Puducherry
In Puducherry, AINRC candidate Ashok Anand won the Thattanchavady Assembly bypoll, defeating Congress candidate E Vinayagam by 8,482 votes.
The seat fell vacant after Chief Minister N Rangasamy resigned from Thattanchavady to retain the Mangalam constituency following the Assembly elections.
The victory provides a boost to the AINRC-led alliance in the Union Territory. The main contest involved AINRC, Congress and DMK candidates.
BJP's Devashish Sharma leads in Assam's Nagaon
In Assam, BJP candidate Devashish Sharma established a substantial lead over All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) chief Badruddin Ajmal in the Nagaon Lok Sabha bypoll.
According to figures reported during counting, Sharma had secured 1,81,017 votes, while Ajmal had received 1,05,769 votes. Congress candidate Sibamoni Bora was trailing in third place with 29,826 votes.
The bypoll was necessitated after former Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi resigned from the Lok Sabha and joined the BJP before contesting the Assembly election from Dispur.
The Nagaon contest is significant for the BJP, Congress and AIUDF as they seek to consolidate their support in the constituency. However, the counting figures reflect the stage of counting at which they were reported and should not be treated as final results.
Bypoll results draw attention across four regions
VIDEO | West Bengal: BJP workers celebrate as party leads in Nandigram bypoll. BJP's Hasirani Rath was leading by 9,600 votes at the end of the first round of counting in Nandigram, while Congress candidate Milan Pradhan was in second place, as per the trends available. #NandigramBypollResult #BJP #BengalNews (Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/bIyFWTeOLF)
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 9, 2026
The six bypolls have brought attention to changing political equations across West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Assam and Puducherry.
The BJP's leads in the two West Bengal Assembly seats and Assam's Nagaon Lok Sabha constituency, TVK's performance in Tamil Nadu and AINRC's victory in Puducherry are being closely tracked by political parties and observers.
While the results offer an indication of electoral support in the constituencies concerned, the final outcome will depend on the completion of counting and official declarations by the Election Commission of India.
