Counting begins for bypolls on six seats in four states; key day for Vijay's TVK and Suvendu Adhikari

Counting of votes began today, Friday, October 9, for bypolls on six seats in four states. Results are due for Assembly seats in Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Puducherry, and for one Lok Sabha seat in Assam. Political circles are watching the outcome closely.

The results are seen as particularly important for actor Vijay's party Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) in Tamil Nadu and for BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari in West Bengal.

Voting was held on October 6 for the Madurantakam and Dharapuram Assembly seats in Tamil Nadu. Both seats are reserved for Scheduled Castes. Senior leaders of the ruling and opposition parties in the state had campaigned vigorously in these bypolls. According to available information, actor Vijay's TVK has already won 108 Assembly seats. A majority needs 118, so its tally falls short. This is why the bypoll results will matter for the party.

A total of 22 candidates were in the fray in Dharapuram, where 80.25 per cent polling was recorded. Counting is under way at the L.R.G. Government Arts College under tight security. Postal ballots will be counted from 8 am. Votes from electronic voting machines will then be counted in 23 rounds from 8.30 am. More than 300 security personnel have been deployed at the counting centre. Early trends are expected by 11 am, and the picture of the result should be clear by 2 pm.

In West Bengal, the results for the Nandigram seat in East Medinipur district and the Rejinagar seat in Murshidabad district are being watched closely. In Nandigram, Trinamool Congress candidate Sanchita Pradhan Dey withdrew her nomination at the last moment, which gave the contest a different turn. After her withdrawal, political analysts are predicting a win for BJP candidate Hasi Rani Rath.

Hasi Rani Rath is the mother of the late Chandranath Rath. Chandranath Rath was a personal assistant to BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari and was murdered on May 6. This background has put the Nandigram bypoll in the spotlight. On Tuesday, Suvendu Adhikari claimed that Hasi Rani Rath's winning margin could exceed the margin he himself achieved in 2016. The seat has therefore become a matter of prestige for the BJP.

Counting is also taking place today for the Thattanchavady Assembly seat in Puducherry and the Nagaon Lok Sabha seat in Assam. These results will show the political strength of the parties concerned. The results on these six seats in four states will not only decide the fate of the candidates but may also affect future political equations.