.jpg)
Political contest intensifies in by-elections in Gujarat, Punjab, Kerala and Bengal
Voting for the by-elections for five assembly seats in four states - Gujarat, Punjab, Kerala and West Bengal - began today, June 19, 2025 at 7 am. This election is witnessing a fierce contest among major political parties including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Trinamool Congress (TMC). Tight security arrangements have been deployed to ensure peaceful conduct of the voting process, and the results will be declared on June 23, 2025.
Gujarat: Three-way contest in Visavadar and Kadi seats
By-elections are being held in two assembly seats in Gujarat, Visavadar and Kadi. The Visavadar seat fell vacant after former AAP MLA Bhupendra Bhayani resigned in December 2023 and joined the BJP. The BJP has fielded Kirit Patel, the Congress has fielded Nitin Ranpariya and AAP's former Gujarat president Gopal Italia. On the other hand, Kadi (Mehsana), a reserved seat for Scheduled Castes, fell vacant after the death of BJP MLA Karsan Solanki in February 2025. The contest is between Rajendra Chavda from BJP, Ramesh Chavda from Congress and Jagdish Chavda from AAP.
Punjab: AAP's engagement in Ludhiana West
The by-election to the Ludhiana West assembly seat in Punjab is being held after the death of AAP MLA Gurpreet Basi Gogi in January 2025. This urban constituency is a four-way fight between AAP, Congress, BJP and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). For AAP, this election is important to maintain its hold in Punjab, while Congress has an opportunity to regain its former strength here. BJP and SAD are also trying to increase their influence among urban voters.
Kerala: Congress-LDF contest in Nilambur
The Nilambur constituency in Kerala is a direct contest between the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) and the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF). The Congress has fielded former MLA Aryadan Mohammed's son Aryadan Shaukat, while the LDF has fielded M. Swaraj. The contest has become even more colorful with the candidature of BJP's Mohan George and TMC's Anwar. Congress leader V. D. Satheesan has described the election as a 'semi-final' before the 2026 assembly elections.
West Bengal: Triangular contest between TMC-BJP-Congress-Left alliance in Kaliganj
The by-election is being held in the Kaliganj seat in West Bengal after the death of TMC MLA Naseeruddin Ahmed in February 2025. The TMC has fielded Naseeruddin's daughter Alifa, while the BJP has fielded Ashish Ghosh and the Congress-CPI(M) alliance has fielded Kabeel Uddin Sheikh. The nationalist wave following the Murshidabad riots, the SSC recruitment scam and 'Operation Sindoor' has made this election a prestigious one for the TMC.
Election process and security arrangements
Polling began at 7 am and will continue till 8 pm in Gujarat and 5-6 pm in other states. To ensure transparency in the election process, 14 companies of Central Security Forces have been deployed in Kaliganj, while live monitoring of the voting process is being carried out in Kerala through webcasting.
Political significance
The by-election is being considered a political litmus test ahead of the Kerala and West Bengal assembly elections next year. The results in Gujarat and Punjab will assess the influence of local parties, while the results in Kaliganj will set the tone for the battle for supremacy between the TMC and the BJP.
Voting for the by-elections for five assembly seats in four states - Gujarat, Punjab, Kerala and West Bengal - began today, June 19, 2025 at 7 am. This election is witnessing a fierce contest among major political parties including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Trinamool Congress (TMC). Tight security arrangements have been deployed to ensure peaceful conduct of the voting process, and the results will be declared on June 23, 2025.
Gujarat: Three-way contest in Visavadar and Kadi seats
By-elections are being held in two assembly seats in Gujarat, Visavadar and Kadi. The Visavadar seat fell vacant after former AAP MLA Bhupendra Bhayani resigned in December 2023 and joined the BJP. The BJP has fielded Kirit Patel, the Congress has fielded Nitin Ranpariya and AAP's former Gujarat president Gopal Italia. On the other hand, Kadi (Mehsana), a reserved seat for Scheduled Castes, fell vacant after the death of BJP MLA Karsan Solanki in February 2025. The contest is between Rajendra Chavda from BJP, Ramesh Chavda from Congress and Jagdish Chavda from AAP.
Punjab: AAP's engagement in Ludhiana West
The by-election to the Ludhiana West assembly seat in Punjab is being held after the death of AAP MLA Gurpreet Basi Gogi in January 2025. This urban constituency is a four-way fight between AAP, Congress, BJP and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). For AAP, this election is important to maintain its hold in Punjab, while Congress has an opportunity to regain its former strength here. BJP and SAD are also trying to increase their influence among urban voters.
Kerala: Congress-LDF contest in Nilambur
The Nilambur constituency in Kerala is a direct contest between the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) and the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF). The Congress has fielded former MLA Aryadan Mohammed's son Aryadan Shaukat, while the LDF has fielded M. Swaraj. The contest has become even more colorful with the candidature of BJP's Mohan George and TMC's Anwar. Congress leader V. D. Satheesan has described the election as a 'semi-final' before the 2026 assembly elections.
West Bengal: Triangular contest between TMC-BJP-Congress-Left alliance in Kaliganj
The by-election is being held in the Kaliganj seat in West Bengal after the death of TMC MLA Naseeruddin Ahmed in February 2025. The TMC has fielded Naseeruddin's daughter Alifa, while the BJP has fielded Ashish Ghosh and the Congress-CPI(M) alliance has fielded Kabeel Uddin Sheikh. The nationalist wave following the Murshidabad riots, the SSC recruitment scam and 'Operation Sindoor' has made this election a prestigious one for the TMC.
Election process and security arrangements
Polling began at 7 am and will continue till 8 pm in Gujarat and 5-6 pm in other states. To ensure transparency in the election process, 14 companies of Central Security Forces have been deployed in Kaliganj, while live monitoring of the voting process is being carried out in Kerala through webcasting.
Political significance
The by-election is being considered a political litmus test ahead of the Kerala and West Bengal assembly elections next year. The results in Gujarat and Punjab will assess the influence of local parties, while the results in Kaliganj will set the tone for the battle for supremacy between the TMC and the BJP.
Gujarat: Three-way contest in Visavadar and Kadi seats
By-elections are being held in two assembly seats in Gujarat, Visavadar and Kadi. The Visavadar seat fell vacant after former AAP MLA Bhupendra Bhayani resigned in December 2023 and joined the BJP. The BJP has fielded Kirit Patel, the Congress has fielded Nitin Ranpariya and AAP's former Gujarat president Gopal Italia. On the other hand, Kadi (Mehsana), a reserved seat for Scheduled Castes, fell vacant after the death of BJP MLA Karsan Solanki in February 2025. The contest is between Rajendra Chavda from BJP, Ramesh Chavda from Congress and Jagdish Chavda from AAP.
Punjab: AAP's engagement in Ludhiana West
The by-election to the Ludhiana West assembly seat in Punjab is being held after the death of AAP MLA Gurpreet Basi Gogi in January 2025. This urban constituency is a four-way fight between AAP, Congress, BJP and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). For AAP, this election is important to maintain its hold in Punjab, while Congress has an opportunity to regain its former strength here. BJP and SAD are also trying to increase their influence among urban voters.
Kerala: Congress-LDF contest in Nilambur
The Nilambur constituency in Kerala is a direct contest between the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) and the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF). The Congress has fielded former MLA Aryadan Mohammed's son Aryadan Shaukat, while the LDF has fielded M. Swaraj. The contest has become even more colorful with the candidature of BJP's Mohan George and TMC's Anwar. Congress leader V. D. Satheesan has described the election as a 'semi-final' before the 2026 assembly elections.
West Bengal: Triangular contest between TMC-BJP-Congress-Left alliance in Kaliganj
The by-election is being held in the Kaliganj seat in West Bengal after the death of TMC MLA Naseeruddin Ahmed in February 2025. The TMC has fielded Naseeruddin's daughter Alifa, while the BJP has fielded Ashish Ghosh and the Congress-CPI(M) alliance has fielded Kabeel Uddin Sheikh. The nationalist wave following the Murshidabad riots, the SSC recruitment scam and 'Operation Sindoor' has made this election a prestigious one for the TMC.
Election process and security arrangements
Polling began at 7 am and will continue till 8 pm in Gujarat and 5-6 pm in other states. To ensure transparency in the election process, 14 companies of Central Security Forces have been deployed in Kaliganj, while live monitoring of the voting process is being carried out in Kerala through webcasting.
Political significance
The by-election is being considered a political litmus test ahead of the Kerala and West Bengal assembly elections next year. The results in Gujarat and Punjab will assess the influence of local parties, while the results in Kaliganj will set the tone for the battle for supremacy between the TMC and the BJP.
