Key bypolls for 15 Assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Kerala, Uttarakhand

Bypolls commenced on Wednesday across 15 assembly constituencies in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Kerala, and Uttarakhand, with the results set to be announced on November 23. While these elections are not expected to alter the composition of the respective state assemblies significantly, they hold political significance as a precursor to the 2024 general elections.

In Uttar Pradesh, nine constituencies are voting, including Katehari, Karhal, Meerapur, Ghaziabad, Majhawan, Sisamau, Khair, Phulpur, and Kundarki. A total of 90 candidates are contesting, with Ghaziabad featuring the highest number at 14. These bypolls mark the first significant electoral test for the INDIA bloc and the NDA in the state since the Lok Sabha elections. In 2022, these seats were distributed among the Samajwadi Party (SP), the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and its ally Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD).

In Punjab, four constituencies—Gidderbaha, Dera Baba Nanak, Chabbewal (SC), and Barnala—are witnessing polling. These bypolls were triggered after the MLAs of these constituencies were elected to the Lok Sabha. Of the four seats, three were previously held by Congress, and one belonged to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). Forty-five candidates, including three women, are in the fray, with key contenders like BJP’s Manpreet Singh Badal, Congress's Amrita Warring, and AAP's Hardeep Singh Dimpy Dhillon.

Kerala is conducting a bypoll in the Palakkad constituency after Congress MLA Shafi Parambil was elected to the Lok Sabha from Vadakara. The bypoll is expected to gauge the state’s shifting political landscape as the Congress, BJP, and Left vie for dominance.

In Uttarakhand, voters in Kedarnath are casting their ballots following the death of BJP MLA Shailarani Rawat. The constituency has 90,540 registered voters, including 45,775 women. The seat is a direct contest between BJP’s Asha Nautiyal and Congress's Manoj Rawat, both of whom have represented Kedarnath in the past.

These bypolls are not just contests for seats but also tests of strategies and alliances ahead of the upcoming general elections. Political observers will be closely watching the voter turnout and results to assess the prevailing political sentiment in these states.