INDIA Bloc Leads in Bypolls, Congress Sees BJP Decline

In the recent by-elections across 13 assembly constituencies, the INDIA bloc won six seats and led in four, marking a significant gain. Congress leader Pawan Khera claimed the BJP is entering a phase of decline similar to Congress’s post-2014. According to Khera, this trend began with the Lok Sabha elections and will continue. The BJP secured one seat and led in another.

In Himachal Pradesh, Congress won two seats while BJP took one. The bypolls were triggered by the resignation of three Independent legislators who joined BJP. Congress led in both Uttarakhand constituencies, Badrinath and Manglaur. Trinamool Congress bagged three seats in West Bengal and led in a fourth. AAP clinched Punjab’s Jalandhar West, defeating BJP’s Sheetal Angural by 37,325 votes.

In Bihar’s Rupauli, Independent candidate Shankar Singh led by over 8,000 votes. Bima Bharti, whose defection from JD(U) to RJD necessitated the bypoll, was pushed to third place. Previously, Independent candidate Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav won Purnea Lok Sabha, defeating JD(U)’s Santosh Kumar by 23,847 votes.