Key Test For I.N.D.I. Alliance As Voting Underway For Bypolls In Six States

In a major test for the Opposition I.N.D.I. Alliance ahead of the upcoming state elections and Lok Sabha polls, bypolls for seven vacant assembly seats are currently underway in six states.

The seats up for election today include Ghosi in Uttar Pradesh, Dhupguri in West Bengal, Puthuppally in Kerala, Bageshwar in Uttarakhand, Dumri in Jharkhand, and Boxanagar and Dhanpur in Tripura.

The votes for all seven seats will be counted on 8 September.

This marks the first set of elections since the formation of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive (I.N.D.I.) Alliance by the opposition parties, reports NDTV.

The alliance aims to contest elections together whenever possible.

The bypolls in Dhupguri, Puthuppally, Bageshwar, Dumri, and Boxanagar were triggered by the demise of the sitting MLAs.

In Ghosi and Dhanpur, the resignation of their respective MLAs necessitated fresh polls.

Dara Singh Chauhan, previously an MLA for the Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradehs' Ghoshi, has resigned and joined the BJP.

He is now running as the BJP candidate in opposition to his former party's Sudhakar Singh, who is also supported by the Congress.

In Tripura's Dhanpur, Pratima Bhoumik of the BJP resigned in order to retain her Lok Sabha seat, resulting in the assembly seat becoming vacant.

The BJP has nominated her brother, Bindu Debnath, while the CPM has put forward Kaushik Chanda as its candidate.

The Boxanagar constituency in Tripura is witnessing a direct contest between the CPM and BJP following the passing of the Left party legislator, Samsul Haque, which left the seat vacant.

The by-election in Uttarakhand's Bageshwar was triggered by the demise of BJP MLA Chandan Ram Dass.

The BJP has selected Parwati, the wife of their former MLA, as its candidate, while the Congress has fielded Basant Kumar and the Samajwadi Party has nominated Bhagawati Prasad.

The bypoll in Kerala's Puthuppally is being held today to fill the seat left empty after the death of former state CM Oommen Chandy.

The Congress-led front has nominated Chandy Oommen, the son of the veteran leader, as its candidate. He will be competing against CPM's Jaick C Thomas.

In Jharkhand's Dumri, which was left vacant by the demise of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha MLA Jagarnath Mahto, the ruling party of the state has put forward Bebi Devi, the wife of Mahto, as its candidate under the INDI Alliance banner.

She will be running against NDA's Yashoda Devi and AIMIM's Abdul Rizvi.

The Dhupguri constituency in West Bengal, which became vacant after the passing of BJP's Bishnupada Roy, will see Tapasi Roy representing the BJP in the upcoming elections.

She will be up against Trinamool's Nirmal Chandra Roy and CPM's Ishwar Chandra Roy.