Campaigning for six crucial by-elections — five assembly seats and one Lok Sabha constituency across three states and a Union Territory — ended on Sunday, with parties making a final push in what has become a key mid-term test for ruling parties.
The Nandigram seat fell vacant after chief minister Suvendu Adhikari retained Bhabanipur, where he defeated TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee , and vacated Nandigram.
“Under the previous TMC government, the CID harassed BJP leaders entirely on falsehoods. Kunal Ghosh, TMC MLA, questioned the timing of Adhikari’s allegation. “Why is he making the claim on the eve of the bypoll?
He alleged the previous TMC government “misused” the CID to frame BJP leaders in an attempt-to-murder case following Banerjee’s “false claims” of a leg injury during the 2021 polls. Attempt to murder charges were framed against them even though official documents do not show any fracture,” he said. He said.
“We did not form an alliance with the Congress and CPI(M). Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma , campaigning for former bureaucrat Devasish Sharma, said Nagaon was difficult for the BJP as Muslims form a majority of voters, but expressed confidence of a victory margin of 250,000–300,000 votes.
The opposition votes might get divided but the responsibility to protect the polling booths and the right of voters lies with all,” Ghosh said.
Congress state president Gaurav Gogoi said: “I am 100% confident that Congress will win the seat again…People know that if they have to overthrow BJP, they will have to vote for Congress. I am 110% confident of a win and the people of Nagaon will ensure than the margin of victory will be around 1 million votes.”
AIUDF’s Ajmal said: “Our contest is with both the BJP and Congress.
