The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won the Nandigram seat in West Bengal on Friday, with its candidate Hasirani Rath polling 1,64,427 votes, according to Election Commission of India (ECI) data. They have also taken a lead in Rejinagar, West Bengal and the Nagaon Lok Sabha constituency in Assam. In Tamil Nadu, actor-turned-politician Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) was ahead in the Madurantakam and Dharapuram Assembly constituencies.
The trends put the spotlight on TVK's performance in its first electoral test after the 2026 Assembly elections, the BJP's position in West Bengal under its new government and the contest for the Nagaon seat in Assam.
The first result came from Puducherry, where the All India NR Congress (AINRC) retained the Thattanchavady Assembly constituency. Its candidate, Ashok Anand, defeated Congress rival E Vinayagam by more than 8,000 votes.
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Tamil Nadu: Early test for Vijay's TVK
TVK candidates were leading in Madurantakam and Dharapuram, ahead of their rivals from the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK).
The bypolls are an early test for Vijay after TVK won 108 seats in the 2026 Assembly elections, falling short of the 118 needed for a majority in the 234-member House.
Both constituencies had been won by the AIADMK in April. The legislators later switched to TVK, prompting the by-elections.
A win in either seat would give Vijay's party a further foothold in the state legislature. The AIADMK, meanwhile, would be looking to recover the seats, while the DMK would hope to regain ground after its Assembly election setback.
The results could also indicate whether the support that helped TVK emerge as a major force in the Assembly elections has held up in individual constituencies.
West Bengal: BJP leads in Nandigram and Rejinagar
In West Bengal, the BJP was ahead in Nandigram in East Midnapore district and Rejinagar in Murshidabad district.
The bypolls are being watched closely after the BJP won the 2026 Assembly elections, ending the Trinamool Congress's 15-year run in power. The results could offer an early indication of how the political contest is shaping up under the new government.
Nandigram has drawn particular attention after Trinamool Congress candidate Sanchita Pradhan Dey withdrew her nomination shortly before the election.
The BJP fielded Hasirani Rath, while Congress candidate Milan Pradhan received support from a faction of the TMC led by Mamata Banerjee. Another faction, led by Ritabrata Banerjee, also entered the contest.
Both Nandigram and Rejinagar have sizeable Muslim populations, making minority voting patterns an important factor in the contests. The final results will show whether the BJP can consolidate its gains and how much support the opposition retains in the two constituencies.
Assam: Nagaon Lok Sabha seat in focus
In Assam, the BJP was leading in the Nagaon Lok Sabha bypoll, ahead of the Congress and the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF).
The by-election was necessitated after Congress veteran Pradyut Bordoloi joined the BJP and resigned as the MP from Nagaon.
The candidates include BJP nominee Debashish Sharma, a former deputy commissioner; Congress candidate Sibamoni Bora, a former MLA; and AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal.
Ajmal is seeking a return to Parliament after losing the 2024 Lok Sabha election from Dhubri to Congress leader Rakibul Hussain.
The final count in Nagaon will determine whether the BJP can secure the seat following Bordoloi's switch, or whether the opposition can hold its ground.
With counting still underway, the leads in Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Assam remain provisional. The final results will establish whether the early trends translate into wins for the parties.
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