By-elections for 5 seats in 4 states underway: Key points
What's the story
Voting is currently underway for by-elections in five assembly seats across Gujarat, Punjab, Kerala, and West Bengal.
The bypolls are crucial, as both the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the opposition INDIA bloc have fielded candidates for these seats.
The results will be declared on June 23.
The seats are Kaliganj in West Bengal, Nilambur in Kerala, Ludhiana West in Punjab, and Kadi and Visavadar in Gujarat.
Gujarat update
Gujarat's Visavadar and Kadi seats
In Kadi and Visavadar, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress, and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) have all fielded candidates.
The Visavadar seat has been vacant since December 2022, after AAP's Bhupendra Bhayani resigned and joined the BJP.
The BJP has fielded Kirit Patel, while the Congress has nominated Nitin Ranpariya, and the AAP has fielded former state president Gopal Italia.
Election dynamics
BJP's Bhupendra Bhayani won from Visavadar in 2022
Despite its dominance, the BJP hasn't won Visavadar since 2007.
In the last assembly election, AAP's Bhupendra Bhayani defeated BJP's Harshad Ribadiya by over 7,000 votes.
The Kadi seat has been vacant since February after the BJP MLA Karsan Solanki's death.
Rajendra Chavda is contesting for the BJP from Kadi against Congress's Ramesh Chavda and the AAP's Jagdish Chavda.
Kerala bypolls
Kerala's Nilambur and West Bengal's Kaliganj seats
In Kerala, the Nilambur seat is witnessing a by-election after two-time MLA PV Anvar, previously supported by the Left, switched allegiance to Congress but is contesting as an Independent.
The Congress has fielded Aryadan Shoukath, while the ruling LDF is backing M Swaraj.
In West Bengal's Kaliganj Assembly, polling is underway after TMC MLA Nasiruddin Ahamed's death in February.
His daughter Alifa Ahamed is contesting for the TMC against BJP's Ashis Ghosh and Congress's Kabil Uddin Shaikh with CPI(M) support.
Punjab update
Punjab's Ludhiana West seat; polling percentages
In Punjab, the Ludhiana West seat is witnessing a by-election after AAP MLA Gurpreet Bassi Gogi's death in January.
The AAP has fielded Ludhiana-based industrialist Sanjeev Arora for the bypoll. The Congress has placed its bet on Punjab Congress Working President Bharat Bhushan Ashu, while the BJP has fielded Jiwan Gupta.
According to Election Commission data, the polling percentages till 11:00am were: Visavadar (28.15%), Kadi (23.85%), Nilambur (30.15%), Ludhiana West (21.51%) and Kaliganj (30.34%).