BJP ahead in Assam, Bengal bypolls; TVK, AIADMK battle it out in Tamil Nadu

NewsElectionsBJP ahead in Assam, Bengal bypolls; TVK, AIADMK battle it out in Tamil Nadu Counting is under way in by-elections across Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Assam and Puducherry, with the BJP leading in Assam and West Bengal and TVK locked in a close fight with the AIADMK in Tamil Nadu.Counting of votes for by-elections to Assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Puducherry, along with a Lok Sabha constituency in Assam, is underway. New Delhi,Oct 9, 2026 12:05 ISTCounting of votes in by-elections across Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Puducherry and Assam is underway, with the BJP taking the lead in Assam and West Bengal, while actor-turned-politician Vijay’s TVK and the AIADMK are in a tight fight in Tamil Nadu.The results are being closely watched for the political mood in the four constituencies and the Puducherry Assembly seat. In Tamil Nadu, the outcome will test the strength of Vijay's newly formed government, while the West Bengal bypolls will gauge the BJP's popularity after ending the Trinamool Congress's 15-year reign in May.BYPOLL RESULTS: TOP POINTSVijay's TVK is leading in Madurantakam and has a narrow advantage over the AIADMK in Dharapuram. A strong showing could help the ruling party move closer to the majority mark in the Assembly. TVK candidate P Sathyabama is ahead in Dharapuram assembly constituency with 24,047 votes, followed by AIADMK's K Banumathi in second place with 21,935 votes. In Madurantakam, TVK's K Maragatham Kumaravel is in the lead with 15,725 votes, with DMK candidate trailing by 4,484 votes. The results are also crucial for MK Stalin's DMK. The party is contesting the polls without the support of former allies, including the Congress, the VCK and Left parties, making the bypolls a litmus test of its strength outside the alliance. In Bengal’s Rejinagar, BJP candidate Shankharav Sarkar is coasting ahead with 28,416 votes, steadily widening the gap with his nearest rival from Humanyun Kabir's Aam Janata Unnayan Party. The BJP's Hasirani Rath is also in the lead in Nandigram. Both constituencies witnessed high turnout in the bypolls on Tuesday, with Nandigram recording 80.89 per cent polling and Rejinagar 80.08 per cent. However, opposition parties demanded fresh polling over allegations of voter intimidation and booth-level irregularities. The BJP rejected the charges and maintained that voting had been peaceful. The bypolls in Nandigram and Rejinagar are the BJP's first electoral test after it stormed to power for the first time in West Bengal by trouncing Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress, which has since splintered into two factions. However, the contests are not a referendum on Suvendu Adhikari's four months in office. Puducherry’s Thattanchavady witnessed a three-cornered contest. The ruling AINRC's Ashok Anand won by securing 13,358 votes after four rounds of counting. He defeated Congress candidate E Vinayagam by a margin of 8,482 votes, while the DMK finished third. - Ends