Even as the Mahayuti alliance was charting a historic win in Maharashtra, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the Northeast achieved an emphatic victory in the by-elections for eight Assembly seats on Saturday. The Congress party and its allies drew a blank in these bypolls.
Of these 8 seats, five—Behali, Samaguri, Dholai, Bongaigaon, and Sidli—are located in Assam, two—Soreng-Chakung and Namchi-Singhithang—are in Sikkim, and one—Gambegre—is in Meghalaya. In Sikkim, the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) had already won the two seats unopposed.
In Assam, the BJP secured three seats, while its allies, the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and the United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL), won one seat each. Under the seat-sharing arrangement in Assam, the BJP contested from Behali, Samaguri, and Dholai, while the AGP and UPPL fielded candidates in Bongaigaon and Sidli, respectively.
Samaguri, traditionally a Congress stronghold, was the only seat where the BJP faced significant uncertainty. However, BJP candidate Diplu Ranjan Sarmah defeated Congress’ Tanzil Hussain, son of Dhubri MP Rakibul Hussain. The BJP retained Behali and Dholai and captured Samaguri from Congress. AGP and UPPL successfully defended their strongholds in Bongaigaon and Sidli.
Besides, BJP’s Diganta Ghatowal defeated Congress’ Jayanta Borah in Behali, while Nihar Ranjan Das overcame Congress’ Dhrubajyoti Purkayastha in Dholai. In Bongaigaon, AGP’s Diptimoyee Choudhury, wife of Barpeta MP and AGP stalwart Phani Bhushan Choudhury, defeated Congress’ Brajenjit Singha. In Sidli, UPPL’s Nirmal Kumar Brahma bested Suddho Kumar Basumatary of the Bodoland People’s Front.
In Meghalaya, the ruling National People’s Party (NPP) candidate Dr Mehtab Chandee A Sangma, wife of Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, won the Gambegre seat, defeating Trinamool Congress’ Sadhiarani M Sangma.
