Election authorities began tallying votes for by-elections to five assembly seats in Gujarat, Punjab, Kerala and West Bengal. Voters went to the polls on June 19. The Election Commission said the voting passed largely without incident, apart from a handful of minor issues.
These by-elections were necessitated due to various reasons, including resignations of MLAs, and one leader crossing over to another party. Here is a quick recap of the story in each state — including voter turnout, why the seat was vacant, who the main candidates are, how the count is progressing and what trends are emerging.
Gujarat Bypolls: Visavadar and Kadi Constituencies
Why Did These Bypolls Happen?
In Visavadar, AAP MLA Bhupendra Bhayani resigned from AAP in December 2023 and defected to BJP. This led to the bypoll. Voter turnout here was 56.9%.
BJP MLA Karshan Solanki had died in February in Kadi due to which the seat had been lying vacant. This bypoll saw a voter turnout of 57.9%.
Key Candidates:
Visavadar:
- BJP: Kirit Patel (former Junagadh district president)
- AAP: Gopal Italia (state-level leader)
- Congress: Nitin Ranpariya
Kadi (SC-Reserved):
- BJP: Rajendra Chavda
- Congress: Ramesh Chavda (former MLA)
Vote Counting Updates:
In Visavadar, BJP’s Kirit Patel took a strong lead after four rounds of counting. He was ahead by more than 16,800 votes (Gopal Italia of AAP was trailing by around 12,800 votes).
In Kadi, BJP’s Rajendra Chavda was leading with over 1,500 votes than Congress candidate Ramesh Chavda.
Main Takeaway:
BJP is doing well in both the seats. The BJP is set to win in Visavadar and Kadi, which will hit AAP’s expansion and also bring down Congress’s revival in Gujarat.
Punjab By-election: The fight for Ludhiana West
Why the Bypoll?
The Ludhiana West seat opened up after AAP MLA Gurpreet Bassi Gogi sadly died by suicide earlier this year. This by-election became a key urban test for AAP in Punjab.
Voter Turnout
Turnout was low at 51.3%, a drop from 64% during the 2022 elections.
Main Candidates
- AAP: Sanjeev Arora (Rajya Sabha MP and industrialist)
- Congress: Bharat Bhushan Ashu (former minister and ex-MLA)
- BJP: Jiwan Gupta (local party leader)
- SAD: Parupkar Singh Ghumman (lawyer and former Bar Association president)
Counting Updates and Early Trends
Vote counting took place in 14 rounds under tight security at Khalsa College, Ludhiana West. Officials started with postal ballots.
After the third round, AAP’s Sanjeev Arora held 8,277 votes, leading by nearly 3,000 votes ahead of both BJP’s Gupta and Congress’s Ashu, who secured around 5,000 votes each. The first time, Arora had 2,895 votes, while Ashu had 1,626 and Gupta had 1,117.
What Each Party Hoped For
- AAP pushed the message of “humility vs arrogance,” with CM Bhagwant Mann actively campaigning.
- The opposition claimed Arora’s candidacy was meant to clear a path for Arvind Kejriwal in the Rajya Sabha.
- BJP viewed this as a test of its urban support after the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
- Congress aimed to win back a key urban seat it once held.
Current Outlook
AAP took an early lead, the trend became clear, enjoying citywide popularity. With lower turnout, it is clear that AAP’s development promise pitch is working.
Kerala Bypoll: Congress Leads From Nilambur
Why the Bypoll Happened
The Nilambur seat fell vacant after P.V. Anvar, an independent legislator supported by CPI(M), quit after differences with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. This seat had the highest polling percentage among the 5 byepolls at 73.3%.
Key Candidates:
- Congress/UDF: Aryadan Shoukath (son of Aryadan Muhammed and also candidate in 2016)
- LDF/CPI(M): M Swaraj (growing leadership of the party in the state unit)
- BJP: Mohan George (local Christian leader)
- Independent: P.V. Anvar (former MLA, contested again as an independent)
Counting Progress and Trends
Vote counting began at 8 AM, starting with postal ballots, followed by 19 rounds of EVM counting.
In the first round, Shoukath led with 7,683 votes, ahead of Swaraj (6,444 votes) and George (1,117 votes). By round seven, Shoukath increased his lead to about 5,123 votes.
Why Nilambur Matters
Nilambur falls under Wayanad, the region represented by Priyanka Gandhi. This made the contest a prestige battle for the Congress, especially ahead of the 2026 Kerala Assembly elections.
A win here could boost Congress’s momentum. On the other hand, an LDF victory would help counter anti-incumbency sentiment.
Current Outlook
Early trends show Congress in the lead, suggesting strong support for Shoukath and possible voter dissatisfaction with the ruling front.
West Bengal Bypoll: TMC Ahead in Kaliganj
The ruling Trinamool Congress took the lead in the Kaliganj Assembly bypoll in West Bengal on Thursday.
Why the Bypoll Happened
The Kaliganj seat fell vacant following the death of TMC MLA Nasiruddin Ahmed in February 2025.
Voter Turnout
Turnout was between 60.3% and 69.9%, based on different reports.
Main Candidates
- TMC: Alifa Ahmed (daughter of the late MLA Nasiruddin Ahmed)
- Congress (with Left support): Kabil Uddin Sheikh
- BJP: Ashish Ghosh
Counting Updates and Trends
Counting of the votes began amid tight security, including that of CCTVs and a three-layer security cover at the counting centre.
TMC’s Alifa Ahmed took the lead with 4,545 votes in the initial rounds, while Sheikh had 1,830 votes and Ghosh 1,112 votes.
Why Kaliganj Matters
This bypoll is crucial in the run-up to 2026 West Bengal Assembly polls.
- TMC would want to retain the seat.
- BJP is trying to gain ground in the region.
- Congress and the Left hope to make a comeback by joining forces.
Current Outlook
TMC’s Alifa Ahmed has taken an early lead, showing strong support for the ruling party in Kaliganj.
Key Takeaways from the Bypolls
- BJP Gains Ground in Gujarat
The BJP led in both Gujarat seats, winning over AAP in Visavadar and keeping its hold in Kadi. This shows the party is making smart moves and growing stronger in the state. - AAP Shows Strength in Punjab
In Ludhiana West, AAP kept its lead. This result shows that the party still has solid support in urban areas, even after facing some recent challenges. - Congress Makes a Comeback?”
Congress did quite a good job in both Kerala and West Bengal and that means the party has some connect left with the voters. But in Kerala, the strength of family names and local support allowed the party to remain competitive.
- Regional Power Still Counts
In West Bengal, TMC’s early lead and the tight security at counting centers show how serious the ruling party is about holding its ground as BJP continues to grow in the state.
What to Watch Next
- Final Results:
Keep an eye on the final numbers. Will BJP win both seats in Gujarat? Can Congress turn its early leads into full wins in Kerala and West Bengal? - Winning Margins Matter:
If candidates win by small margins, it could show that voters are slowly changing sides. But if the victory margins are large, it may point to a bigger shift in public support. - What Comes Next:
All major parties will study these results carefully. They will have to change their strategies for the 2026 state elections and 2027 Punjab elections and the big 2029 Lok Sabha elections.
Bottom Line
By what Trust of India appears to signal is that the 2025 bypolls are early signs of shift in Indian politics. BJP improved in Gujarat, AAP held firm in Punjab, Congress fared well in Kerala and Bengal, and TMC retained its advantage. Now, all the parties will focus on what these results suggest about the 2026 contests and beyond.
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