Updates on Bypolls 2023: Voting is in full swing today in several places – Dumri in Jharkhand, Puthuppally in Kerala, Boxanagar and Dhanpur in Tripura, Bageshwar in Uttarakhand, Ghosi in Uttar Pradesh, and Dhupguri in West Bengal. The votes will be counted on September 8.
This marks the first face-off between the BJP-led NDA and the Opposition INDIA coalition as they contest by-elections in seven Assembly seats across six states. There have been reports of problems like violence and fake voting, with high voter turnout in Tripura’s Dhanpur and Boxanagar at around 78.69% and 74.69%, respectively. Even with some rain, more than half of eligible voters in Kerala’s Puthuppally have cast their votes by 2 pm. In Uttar Pradesh’s Ghosi, over 43% of voters participated by 3 pm, and Dhupguri in West Bengal saw 51% voter turnout by 1 pm.
Voting began at 7 am today in Dumri (Jharkhand), Puthuppally (Kerala), Boxanagar, and Dhanpur (Tripura), Bageshwar (Uttarakhand), Ghosi (Uttar Pradesh), and Dhupguri (West Bengal). Five of these by-elections were needed because the sitting MLAs sadly passed away, and two others resigned from their posts.
INDIA coalition members are showing support for different parties in these elections. In Ghosi (Uttar Pradesh), it’s the Samajwadi Party leading the way, while Dumri (Jharkhand) favors the JMM. Dhanpur and Boxanagar (Tripura) are seeing support for the CPI(M), and in Bageshwar (Uttarakhand), the Congress party is prominent. However, in Dhupguri (West Bengal) and Puthuppally (Kerala), INDIA coalition partners are competing against each other.
