Counting of votes for by-elections to five Assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Puducherry, along with a Lok Sabha constituency in Assam, has started with results expected soon.
From a test of Chief Minister Vijay’s star power to a changed political landscape in West Bengal with a resurgent BJP and a divided Trinamool, to the high-stakes Nagaon Lok Sabha contest in Assam, the bypoll results will have serious regional implications. As votes are counted in Madurantakam and Dharapuram, the spotlight is on whether Vijay’s popularity can translate into another electoral victory, five months after he came to power. In West Bengal, counting is taking place for the Nandigram Assembly constituency in East Midnapore district and Rejinagar in Murshidabad district. Voting in both constituencies was conducted under unprecedented security arrangements. As both seats have considerable Muslim votes, known to be the TMC’s strength, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari had framed the bypolls as a test for minorities, drawing criticism from the opposition. Meanwhile, counting will also be held for the Thattanchavady Assembly constituency in Puducherry. The seat fell vacant after Chief Minister N Rangasamy relinquished it to retain Mangalam.
Follow: By-Election Results 2026 LIVE Updates The contests carry considerable political significance for the TVK, which came to power after winning 108 seats in the Assembly election, short of the 118 required for a majority. The results are being keenly watched for the BJP’s performance after replacing the 15-year-old Trinamool Congress regime as the ruling party following the 2026 Assembly elections, as well as the shape of the opposition space amid a split in the TMC and the presence of multiple political formations.
