Vijay's TVK dominates in TN bypolls; BJP secures massive lead in West Bengal's Nandigram

Tamil Nadu's ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) was poised for a sweeping victory in the bypolls to Madurantakam and Dharapuram on Friday, with the party's candidates maintaining commanding leads as counting progressed. In West Bengal, the BJP secured an overwhelming lead in Nandigram and a strong advantage in Rejinagar, exposing the challenges facing a fragmented Opposition.

In Dharapuram, TVK candidate P Sathyabama overcame an early see-saw contest with the AIADMK to establish a decisive lead. She was ahead by 10,003 votes at the end of the 20th round of counting.

In Madurantakam, TVK nominee Maragatham Kumaravel maintained a steady lead from the beginning. Her margin had crossed 13,000 votes by the 12th round, with DMK candidate I Paranthamen in second place and AIADMK nominee S Kanitha Sampath trailing in third.

The trends suggested that allegations of horse-trading and betrayal levelled against the TVK government by the Opposition had failed to dent the ruling party's electoral prospects. The CPI(M), which supports the government from outside, had also raised similar allegations.

The DMK, meanwhile, faced a difficult electoral test after contesting without the support of long-standing allies, including the Congress and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML). The outcome could underline the challenges facing the party in the absence of support from major alliance partners.

In neighbouring Puducherry, the ruling All India N R Congress (AINRC) won the Thattanchavady Assembly bypoll, with its candidate Ashok Anand defeating Congress nominee E Vinayagam by more than 8,000 votes. The result marked the ruling party's first electoral test since assuming office months ago. DMK candidate K Sethu finished third.

BJP's commanding lead in Nandigram
In West Bengal, the BJP secured a massive lead in the politically significant Nandigram constituency, while also recording a strong showing in Muslim-majority Rejinagar.

According to the latest Election Commission figures, BJP candidate Hasirani Rath led Congress nominee Milan Pradhan by 1,22,753 votes in Nandigram after all 17 rounds of counting.

Rath, the mother of Chandranath Rath, the slain personal assistant of West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, secured 1,64,427 votes against Pradhan's 41,674. Pradhan was backed by former chief minister Mamata Banerjee.

Other candidates, including those from the Left Front, the Indian Secular Front (ISF) and the rebel Trinamool Congress faction, Democratic Trinamool Congress, lost their deposits. CPI candidate Santi Gopal Giri finished a distant third with 5,779 votes.

Although counting had concluded, the Election Commission was yet to formally announce the result.

In Rejinagar, in Murshidabad district, BJP candidate Shankharavh Sarkar led Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP) nominee Golam Nabi Azad by 75,816 votes after all 15 rounds of counting. Sarkar secured 1,29,914 votes, while Azad, the son of AJUP founder Humayun Kabir, received 54,098.

The trends pointed to two significant developments in West Bengal: the BJP's commanding lead in Nandigram, a constituency central to the state's political history, and its strong performance in Rejinagar, where Muslim voters constitute nearly 70% of the electorate.