Three former TMC Rajya Sabha MPs, Sushmita Dev, Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, and Prakash Chik Baraik, filed nominations as BJP candidates for West Bengal's Rajya Sabha bypolls on July 24. Having resigned from TMC and the Upper House, they are set to return to Parliament on BJP tickets, with the BJP holding enough legislators to secure all three seats.
BJP candidate Abhishek Kumar Sinha withdrew from the Bankipur bypoll citing family reasons, hours after filing nomination. The party replaced him with Neeraj Kumar Sinha. The by-election, necessitated by Nitin Nabin's Rajya Sabha election, marks Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor's electoral debut against the BJP stronghold.
Hours after joining the BJP, former TMC leaders Sushmita Dev, Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, and Prakash Chik Baraik were named as BJP candidates for upcoming Rajya Sabha bypolls. The trio resigned from the Rajya Sabha and TMC last month, citing political and personal reasons, and their induction is seen as a move to strengthen BJP's presence in West Bengal amid TMC's internal crisis.
Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor will contest the Bankipur Assembly by-election from the BJP's stronghold, aiming to send a message for voters to rise above caste and religion. He criticizes the incumbent MLA's resignation and alleges BJP takes voters for granted.
Bypolls for three Rajya Sabha seats in West Bengal, vacated by Trinamool Congress MPs, will be held on July 24. The resignations followed internal dissent after the party's assembly election defeat. Vote counting is scheduled for the same evening.
The Election Commission announced bypolls for three assembly seats in Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat on July 30. Vacancies arose from resignations, disqualification, and death. Nominations close July 13, with counting on August 3. Model Code of Conduct is active in affected districts.
The BJP-led NDA has won 19 of 26 Rajya Sabha seats, increasing its strength to 150. The alliance is now 13 seats short of a two-thirds majority, with potential further gains from TMC and AAP splits. Opposition INDIA bloc secured six seats.
AJUP founder Humayun Kabir has offered Mamata Banerjee a route back to the West Bengal Assembly from his Rejinagar constituency. Kabir, who won both Nowda and Rejinagar seats, stated he would vacate Rejinagar to support Banerjee's by-election bid, citing her role in his political rise.
Biennial elections for 26 Rajya Sabha seats will be held on June 18. The BJP-led NDA is projected to lose one seat, potentially reducing its tally to 17, while the Congress-led opposition may improve its count to five. The JMM is expected to win two seats, and TVK one.
Sunetra Pawar is heading toward a significant victory in the Baramati assembly bypoll. She has requested that supporters refrain from victory processions, dedicating the mandate to the memory of her late husband, Ajit Pawar.
Vote counting is underway for seven assembly by-elections across India. Early trends indicate leads for BJP candidates in Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Karnataka, while Congress holds a lead in the Bagalkot constituency.
