Early trends emerging from counting of votes on Friday for the October 6 bypolls held in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry indicated an advantage for the ruling regimes led by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay and N Rangasamy, respectively.
In Tamil Nadu, as the counting of votes, which commenced at 8 am progressed, the ruling TVK was steadily marching ahead of its Dravidian rival, the DMK and AIADMK.
Similarly, early trends in the Union Territory of Puducherry appeared to be advantageous for the Chief Minister N Rangasamy-led AINRC. The party leads the NDA coalition ministry.
It remains to be seen if the trends continue to be the same.
The bypolls in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry are crucial not only for the incumbent TVK and AINRC regimes, but for the Opposition parties as well.
The results for five Assembly constituencies in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry, as well as a Lok Sabha seat in Assam that went to bypolls on October 6th, will be declared on Friday after the votes are counted.
Bypolls were held in the Nandigram and Rejinagar Assembly constituencies in West Bengal, and in Maduranthakam and Dharapuram (SC) in Tiruppur district in Tamil Nadu.
Notably, the Nandigram seat fell vacant after Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari won from two constituencies in the State Assembly elections earlier this year and chose to retain the other seat.
The Rejinagar seat fell vacant following the resignation of Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP) founder Humayun Kabir, who had also secured victory from Nowda.In the Union Territory of Puducherry, polling took place in the Thattanchavady Assembly constituency.
Polling was also held for the Nagaon Lok Sabha seat in Assam, which saw a three-way contest between the BJP, Congress, and AIUDF.
The Nagaon Lok Sabha seat, which was won by the Congress in the 2019 and 2024 general elections, fell vacant after Pradyut Bordoloi left the party, joined the BJP, and later won the Dispur Assembly constituency in the 2026 Assam Legislative Assembly elections.Tamil Nadu Minister KA Sengottiyan asserted that the upcoming results for the Dharapuram and Maduranthakam constituencies will serve as a historic validation of the State government’s performance.
Exuding confidence in the victory of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), he asserted that the margin of votes by which TVK will secure a victory will amaze people."The results of the Dharapuram and Maduranthakam by-elections will stand as a testament and proof to the people of the good governance being delivered by the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu on behalf of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam. It is certain that we will win by a massive margin of votes unprecedented in the history of Tamil Nadu politics. The margin will be such that it will amaze the people. This by-election will be a historic event that recognises the achievements of the Chief Minister," he said.