The early trends in the the by-polls to the three LokSabha seats and 29 Assembly constituencies have been encouraging for theCongress in the states of Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka where theparty has been better placed than the BJP. Meanwhile the Trinamool Congressswept the four seats in West Bengal, while the BJP and allies have gained groundsin the northeast.
In the three Lok Sabha seats, the trends shows that theBJP is leading in Khandwa (Madhya Pradesh), Shiv Sena in Dadra and Nagar Haveliand Congress in Mandi (Himachal Pradesh).
The Congress has however, faired well where it was in directcontest with the BJP. In Bihar too, Congress has not been the first choicedespite the party contesting all alone. The main contest is between the RJD andthe JDU.
In Rajasthan, the Congress is leading Vallabhnagar andDhariyawad. Preeti Gajendra Singh Shaktawat, widow of late Congress MLAGajendra Singh Shaktawat from Vallabhnagar, is leading with 29,248 votes,followed by RLP candidate Udailal Dangi with 29,170 votes.
BJP candidate Himmat Singh Jhala is at the third positionwith 13,477 votes.
In Karnataka, the Congress has taken the lead in Hanagal,Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai's home district, while the ruling BJP hasregistered a thumping victory in the Sindagi Assembly seat.
In Haryana, the BJP has suffered a major setback asIndian National Lok Dal (INLD) chief Abhay Chautala is leading by more than2,000 votes over BJP-JJP candidate Gobind Kanda and Congress' Pawan Beniwal inthe counting for the Ellenabad seat.
The bypoll was necessitated with the resignation ofChautala from the seat in January in protest against the three agriculturallaws.
After winning the by-poll in 2010, Abhay retained theseat in 2014 and 2019.
Meanwhile in Telangana, the BJP has maintained its leadover the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) in the by-election to theHuzurabad Assembly seat. Eatala Rajender of the BJP is leading by 3,270 votesagainst his nearest rival G. Srinivas Yadav of the TRS at the end of the eighthround of counting.
The candidates of the ruling National People's Party(NPP) and ally United Democratic Party (UDP) are leading in the Mawryngkneng,Rajabala and Mawphlang Assembly seats in Meghalaya.
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allyUnited People's Party Liberal (UPPL) are leading in all the five Assam Assemblyseats. BJP nominees Phanidhar Talukdar, Sushanta Borgohain and Rupjyoti Kurmiare leading in the Bhabanipur, Thowra and Mariani Assembly seats, respectively,against their Congress and independent rivals as the counting of votes cast inthe October 30 bypolls was underway in the five constituencies.