NDA wins in NE by-elections amidst debates on premature polls

As the precedent prevails, by-elections in all eight legislative assembly constituencies of northeastern states were won by the ruling parties.

- NAVA THAKURIA

In fact, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) established a one-sided victory in Assam, Meghalaya and Sikkim by-polls. The saffron party won three assembly seats in Assam, and its allies Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and the United Peoples' Party Liberal (UPPL), emerged victorious in one seat each. Meghalaya's lone seat went to the National People's Party (NPP) nominee.

On the other hand, two candidates of the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) were declared winners unopposed by the Election Commission of India (thus evading polling) in the tiny Himalayan State.

The voting in all seats took place on 13 November to fill up the vacant space as the respective legislators of Assam and Meghalaya participated in the recently concluded Lok Sabha polls and won the electoral battles. The counting of votes in EVMs from all seats (along with other assembly seats in mainland states and two parliamentary constituencies in Kerala and Maharashtra) was done on 23 November, and results surfaced by the evening hours. Amazingly, the special elections scheduled for a total of 48 assembly seats in 14 states divulged an important fact that no less than 41 assembly constituencies needed by-polls, as those seats were vacated by the respective MLAs after they got elected to the lower house of Indian Parliament early this year.