2026 bypoll results: Vijay’s TVK sweeps Tamil Nadu, BJP wins Bengal, Assam

NEW DELHI: Ruling parties in their respective states continued to hold their ground as votes were counted in the bypolls on Friday, October 9.In Tamil Nadu, it was still “Thalapathy” Vijay and his TVK brigade making their presence felt. In West Bengal, the BJP strengthened its position, while in Assam, the saffron party maintained its comfortable lead. Puducherry, meanwhile, remained firmly with chief minister N Rangaswamy's ruling AINRC.Tamil Nadu and West Bengal went to bypolls in two assembly constituencies each, months after their assembly elections brought new parties to power in both states.Tamil Nadu: Vijay’s TVK expands its footprintVijay’s TVK won both Madurantakam and Dharapuram, expanding its footprint in a state long dominated by Dravidian giants.TVK’s K Maragatham Kumaravel defeated DMK’s I Paranthamen in Madurantakam by 17,554 votes, while Sathyabama P defeated DMK’s Suganya in Dharapuram by 10,196 votes.Both constituencies had voted for the AIADMK in the previous Assembly elections, making TVK’s performance another sign of its growing electoral presence.TVK chief and Tamil Nadu chief minister C Joseph Vijay on Friday celebrated the party's clean sweep in the Maduranthakam and Dharapuram Assembly by-elections.Framing the results as a historic rejection of money-power politics, Vijay in a post on X asserted that the voters have delivered a resounding verdict in favour of principled democracy, political civility, and individual dignity."The by-election results for Maduranthakam and Dharapuram have been announced. The top position reflecting the primary strength that the people hold in their hearts for our Tamil Nadu Victory League, and the deep subconscious desire of our own people for our conscientious democracy, have once again been proven," he wrote on X.West Bengal: BJP’s march continuesThe BJP, meanwhile, showed no signs of slowing down, winning both Nandigram and Rejinagar.In Nandigram, BJP candidate Hasi Rani Rath defeated Congress’s Milan Pradhan by a record margin of 1,22,753 votes in a constituency closely associated with chief minister Suvendu Adhikari’s political journey. Rath polled 1,64,427 votes against Pradhan’s 41,674.Suvendu has won Nandigram in the last three consecutive assembly elections. In 2016, he was a close confidant of then-chief minister Mamata Banerjee. He later broke away from the TMC, joined the BJP and emerged as one of her fiercest political rivals.He has now succeeded former boss Mamata as chief minister of Bengal.In Rejinagar, BJP candidate Shankharavh Sarkar also won, marking a breakthrough for the party in the Muslim-majority constituency.Sakharav Sarkar was declared winner by a massive margin of 75,816 votes on Friday. While Sarkar secured 1,29,914 votes, Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP)'s Golam Nabi Azad came in the second position securing 54,098 votes.The Bengal CM claimed that the BJP had secured around 60% of Muslim votes in Rejinagar and 80% in Nandigram."Minority community found friend in BJP, voted for us in bypolls," Bengal CM Suvendu said after muslim-dominated Rejinagar supported the saffron party in big numbers.Assam and Puducherry: Ruling parties hold groundIn Assam, the BJP appeared firmly placed in the contest for the Nagaon Lok Sabha seat, which fell vacant and went to a bypoll.BJP candidate Devasish Sharma was leading by 1,41,916 votes over AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal as counting continues. Though the BJP candidate's victory is now imminent.Sharma polled 7,13,622 votes, while Ajmal secured 5,71,706 votes. Congress nominee Sibamoni Bora was a distant third with 75,908 votes. Counting was still underway.Puducherry, meanwhile, delivered a win for the ruling side, with chief minister N Rangaswamy’s party securing the Thattanchavady seat. AINRC candidate Ashok Anand defeated Congress rival E Vinayagam by over 8,400 votes.Union home minister Amit Shah on Friday hailed the National Democratic Alliance's victories in by-elections in West Bengal, Assam and Puducherry, along with recent municipal elections in Rajasthan and Tripura, saying these wins indicate that people have "completely rejected" the INDI alliance.In a post on X, Shah said, "Despite the lies, confusion, and malicious propaganda of Rahul Gandhi and the INDI Alliance, the BJP is winning one election after another under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership.""Having lost their public support, these parties question institutions after every defeat, but the people have recognized this character of theirs. That is why, once again, they have expressed their unwavering faith in the BJP by giving it a resounding mandate," he further said.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.