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Key Points

Voting has begun for crucial by-elections in five assembly constituencies across Kerala, Punjab, West Bengal, and Gujarat. The Nilambur seat in Kerala is being viewed as a litmus test ahead of the 2026 state elections. Key parties like BJP, Congress, and AAP are locked in tight contests in Ludhiana, Kaliganj, and Gujarat seats. Results will be announced on 23 June, shaping political narratives in these states.

Key Points: Assembly By-Elections Begin in Kerala Punjab West Bengal Gujarat

  • Polling underway in 5 key constituencies across four states
  • Kerala's Nilambur seen as semi-final before 2026 Assembly polls
  • AAP, BJP, and Congress in tight contests in Punjab and Gujarat
  • Results to be declared on 23 June
2 min read

Polling begins for assembly by-elections across 4 states

Voting starts for high-stakes by-polls in Nilambur, Ludhiana, Kaliganj, Visavadar, and Kadi with results expected on 23 June.

"This is a political contest, a direct fight between the UDF and the LDF - VD Satheesan"

Nilambur, June 19

Voting began for the high-stakes assembly bye-elections in five constituencies across the country on Thursday.

The polling began at 7 am on the Nilambur seat in Kerala, the Ludhiana West seat in Punjab, the Kaliganj seat in West Bengal, and the Visavadar and Kadi seats in Gujarat.

The results will be declared on 23 June.

The Left Democratic Front (LDF) has fielded M Swaraj, the United Democratic Front (UDF) has fielded Aryadan Shoukath, while the BJP has fielded Adv. Mohan George is a candidate for the Nilambur Assembly constituency.

Earlier, stressing that the Nilambur by-election is the semi-final before the 2026 Assembly polls, Kerala LoP and Congress MLA VD Satheesan said that they will emerge victorious, which will mark the beginning of the United Democratic Front's (UDF) return to the state.

Speaking to ANI, Satheesan said, "This is a political contest, a direct fight between the UDF and the LDF. It is the semi-final leading up to the 2026 Assembly elections, and we are confident of winning by a significant margin. We see this as an opportunity to hold the Pinarayi government accountable, a government that has been in power for the past nine years."

On Punjab's Ludhiana seat, the BJP has fielded Jiwan Gupta as its candidate. The Aam Aadmi Party has chosen Rajya Sabha MP Sanjeev Arora from the seat, which fell vacant after the death of AAP MLA Gurpreet Bassi Gogi.

On West Bengal's Kaliganj seat, the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) has fielded Alifa Ahmed, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has fielded Ashish Ghosh, and the Congress has fielded Kabil Uddin Shaikh as candidates for the by-elections.

On Gujarat's Visavadar constituency, the BJP has fielded Kirit Patel, Congress has nominated Nitin Ranpariya, while AAP has placed its former Gujarat president Gopal Italia.

On Kadi seat, the BJP has fielded Rajendra Chavda. Congress has fielded Ramesh Chavda, a former MLA who won the seat in 2012, while AAP has chosen Jagdish Chavda.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

Here are 6 diverse Indian perspective comments for the assembly by-elections article:
P
Priya K.
These by-elections will be interesting to watch, especially in Kerala where both LDF and UDF are claiming it as a semi-final. Hope people vote wisely considering local issues rather than just political rhetoric. 🤞
R
Rahul S.
Gujarat results will show if AAP can make any dent in BJP's stronghold. Their performance in local elections has been disappointing so far. Need stronger opposition for healthy democracy.
A
Amit D.
Why do political parties always frame every election as "semi-final" or "final"? Can't we focus on actual governance issues? This drama happens before every election cycle.
S
Sunita M.
In Punjab, it's sad that the seat fell vacant due to MLA's untimely death. Hope the new representative maintains the good work. Elections should be about development, not just party symbols.
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Vikram J.
West Bengal's Kaliganj seat will be interesting - TMC vs BJP vs Congress. After 2021 violence, hope this election remains peaceful. Democracy should win over hooliganism.
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Neha P.
As a Kerala resident, I'm tired of this LDF-UDF ping pong. Both have failed to address rising prices and unemployment. Maybe time for new alternatives? #EnoughIsEnough

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