Sun Nov 24 07:18:16 UTC 2024: ## Ruling Parties Dominate Assembly By-elections Across India

**NEW DELHI, November 23, 2024** – Ruling parties secured a majority of seats in assembly by-elections held across 13 states on November 13 and 20, with results declared Saturday. The BJP and its allies emerged victorious in 26 of the 46 contested seats, a net gain of nine seats. Congress won seven seats, a loss of six, while the Trinamool Congress swept West Bengal, winning all six seats.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) secured three out of four seats in Punjab, while the Samajwadi Party (SP) won two in Uttar Pradesh. Other wins included the LDF in Kerala and the Bharat Adivasi Party (BAP) in Rajasthan, each claiming one seat. Two seats in Sikkim were won unopposed by the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM).

In Lok Sabha by-elections, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi achieved a resounding victory in Wayanad, Kerala, with a margin exceeding 4.1 lakh votes. Congress also narrowly won the Nanded seat in Maharashtra after a recount.

The BJP’s performance was particularly strong in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Rajasthan, while the NDA swept all four by-elections in Bihar. In contrast, the RJD suffered a significant setback, losing the Belaganj seat it had held for decades. The Congress celebrated wins in all three Karnataka by-elections, attributing it to a rejection of BJP’s “hate politics”. In Assam, the BJP and its allies won two seats and were leading in three others.

The AAP’s Punjab victories were hailed as a “semi-final” by party convenor Arvind Kejriwal, while SP leader Akhilesh Yadav described the Uttar Pradesh by-elections as “the most distorted form of electoral politics.” The TMC’s sweep in West Bengal solidified its dominance, even amidst ongoing protests.

These by-election results provide significant insight into the political landscape ahead of upcoming state assembly elections, particularly in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

Read More