The Visavadar seat in Gujarat’s Junagadh district has remained vacant since December 2023 after AAP MLA Bhupendra Bhayani resigned and joined the BJP.

New Delhi:

The Election Commission of India (ECI) introduced the schedule for bypolls to 5 Assembly Constituencies of Gujarat, Kerala, Punjab and West Bengal. The polling will happen on June 19 (Thursday), and the counting of votes shall be performed on June 23 (Monday). Two meeting bypolls shall be held in Gujarat, one every will happen in Kerala, West Bengal and Punjab. 

In Gujarat, the bypoll to the Kadi seat was necessitated following the loss of life of sitting MLA Karsanbhai Punjabhai Solanki. Another bypoll to the Visavadar seat within the state is happening as a result of resignation of sitting member Bhayani Bhupendrabhai Gandubhai.

In Kerala, the Nilambur seat will go to bypoll since P V Anvar has resigned, whereas byposs are to be held in Punjab’s Ludhiana seat as a result of loss of life of sitting member Gurpreet Bassi Gogi. Byelection to the Kaliganj Assembly seat in West Bengal has been necessitated as a result of loss of life of sitting meeting member Nasiruddin Ahamed.

Congress to contest Gujarat bypolls alone

Gujarat Congress President Shaktisinh Gohil earlier introduced that the occasion will contest bye-elections to the Visavadar and Kadi Assembly seats independently, with out partnering with its INDIA bloc ally, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). Gohil clarified that the choice was taken unanimously after analysing previous electoral developments within the state. “Gujaratis have never voted for a third front. Here, it is either Congress or the BJP,” he mentioned. He additional added, “During the last elections, the AAP tried its best. All of the big leaders of the AAP campaigned for the party, but they were still only able to get 10.5-11 per cent of votes and damaged the Congress party in elections.”

The Visavadar seat in Junagadh district has remained vacant since December 2023 after AAP MLA Bhupendra Bhayani resigned and joined the BJP. Meanwhile, the Kadi seat in Mehsana, a constituency reserved for Scheduled Caste (SC) candidates, fell vacant following the loss of life of BJP MLA Karsan Solanki on February 4.

Congress fields Bharat Bhushan Ashu for Ludhiana West bypolls

Congress earlier introduced Bharat Bhushan Ashu because the occasion candidate for the forthcoming by-election to the Punjab Legislative Assembly from 64 – Ludhiana West Constituency. His candidature for contesting the bypoll from the seat was accredited by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge. “The Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has approved the proposal for the candidature of Bharat Bhushan Ashu as party candidate for the forthcoming bye-elections to the Punjab Legislative Assembly from 64-Ludhiana West Constituency,” the AICC press launch mentioned.

The Ludhiana West seat fell vacant following the loss of life of AAP MLA Gurpreet Bassi Gogi in January.Earlier, on February 26, the Aam Aadmi Party has fielded Rajya Sabha MP Sanjeev Arora as its candidate for the Ludhiana West by-election.

Ludhiana West bypoll 

The bypoll to Ludhiana West meeting seat in Punjab will happen on June 19 and the counting shall be held on June 23, officers mentioned on Sunday. The Ludhiana West seat fell vacant following the loss of life of AAP MLA Gurpreet Bassi Gogi in January. According to the by-election schedule, the nomination course of will begin on May 26 whereas the final date for submitting nominations is June 2. Scrutiny of nominations will happen on June 3 and the final date for the withdrawal of nominations is June 5.

The Aam Aadmi Party was the primary political outfit to announce its candidate. It has named Rajya Sabha member Sanjeev Arora for the bypoll. The Congress has fielded former minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu, whereas the Shiromani Akali Dal has nominated Parupkar Singh Ghuman for the bypoll. The BJP is but to call its candidate.