Kolkata: Ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) candidates have taken an unassailable lead in the bypolls held in the six assembly constituencies in West Bengal, with counting underway since 8 am on Saturday.
These results are drawing significant attention, especially in light of the ongoing protests related to the RG Kar Medical College incident, which has sparked public outcry in the state.
The bypolls were held in Naihati, Haroa, Medinipur, Taldangra, Sitai (SC), and Madarihat (ST), following the resignation of sitting MLAs who had secured victories in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, thus vacating their assembly seats.
In Haroa, TMC’s Rabiul Islam led by a massive 22,083 votes, while Falguni Singhababu held a 3,300-vote lead in Taldangra. In Naihati, Sanat Dey extended his lead to 24,911 votes. Sitai saw TMC’s Sangita Roy emerge as the frontrunner with an impressive 40,000-vote lead.
Madarihat, the sole BJP-held seat among the six, is also leaning towards the TMC, with Jayprakash Toppo leading by 10,000 votes. In Medinipur, Sujoy Hazra secured a 5,000-vote lead, further consolidating TMC’s dominance.
Speaking to the media, Sitai candidate Sangita Roy expressed confidence, saying, “I don’t know what the margin will be, but people will bless me and I will win.”
Partha Bhowmick, the former MLA from Naihati and now the MP from Barrackpore, attributed the TMC’s strong performance to voter faith in Mamata Banerjee’s leadership. “This is people’s answer to those who have tried hard to malign Mamata Banerjee’s image. There was no fault of the government in the RG Kar case. The voters have proved it by casting their vote in our favour,” he said.
The six seats up for grabs include two in north Bengal — Madarihat and Sitai — and four in south Bengal. The bypolls were necessitated after the sitting MLAs vacated their positions to contest and win in the Lok Sabha elections.
