The bypoll scoreboard on Monday began tilting in the BJP’s favour early, with the party locking in two strategically significant victories even as counting continued across multiple states.
In Nagaland’s Koridang, BJP’s Daochier I. Imchen delivered a decisive win, defeating Independent rival Toshikaba by 3,123 votes. Imchen secured 7,317 votes in total, comfortably ahead of a fragmented field that saw multiple Independents and an NPP candidate split the opposition vote. At just 35, he is set to become one of the youngest faces in the 14th Nagaland Assembly, while also extending his family’s political legacy in the constituency once represented by his late father, Imkong L. Imchen. The Congress, meanwhile, barely registered in the contest, finishing with a negligible tally.
Tripura’s Dharmanagar told a similar story of BJP dominance. Party candidate Jahar Chakraborti retained the seat with an overwhelming margin of 18,920 votes, polling 24,291 votes. His nearest rivals from the CPI(M) and Congress trailed far behind, underlining the BJP’s firm grip over the constituency. The bypoll, necessitated by the demise of Assembly Speaker Biswa Bandhu Sen, effectively turned into a referendum on the incumbent government. Chief Minister Manik Saha framed the result as a clear endorsement of the state’s development trajectory.
Elsewhere, the electoral picture remained fluid.
In Karnataka, early trends indicated a strong showing for Congress in both Bagalkot and Davanagere South. Umesh Meti opened up a substantial lead of over 17,000 votes in Bagalkot, while Samarth Mallikarjun was ahead by nearly 8,000 votes in Davanagere South, though multiple rounds of counting remain.
Maharashtra presented a split verdict in early trends. In Baramati, NCP’s Sunetra Pawar surged ahead with a commanding margin, reinforcing the constituency’s reputation as a Pawar stronghold. Meanwhile, in Rahuri, BJP’s Akshay Kardile held the edge, suggesting a more competitive contest.
In Gujarat’s Umreth, BJP candidate Harshad Parmar maintained a consistent and sizeable lead of over 26,000 votes against Congress rival Bhrugurajsinh Chauhan, with trends pointing towards a comfortable victory.
