Crucial battle for fourteen seats
By-elections across the country come at a time when the ruling BJP is facing multiple challengers in the Opposition, some of whom are pitching for an anti-BJP front for the 2019 general elections
THE SEAT BREAKDOWN
UTTAR PRADESH: The Kairana constituency fell vacant after the death of BJP MP Hukum Singh, whose daughter Mriganka Singh is the BJP candidate BIHAR: The by-election to the Jokihat Assembly seat in Bihar was necessitated due to the resignation of JD(U) MLA Sarfaraz Alam, who quit the party earlier this year
WEST BENGAL: The bypoll in Mahestala Assembly seat will witness a three-corner contest between the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), the BJP and the Left Front JHARKHAND (GOMIA): The main contest is between the BJP’s Madhavlal Singh, Lambodar Mahto of the All Jharkhand Students Union and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha’s Babita Devi, wife of disqualified MLA Yogendra Mahto
JHARKHAND (SILLI): The main contest will be between the former deputy chief minister and AJSU president Sudesh Mahto and Seema Mahto, wife of disqualified MLA Amit Mahto MAHARASHTRA: The bypoll in Palghar was necessitated due to the death of sitting BJP MP Chintaman Wanaga in January. In Bhandra-Gondia, Nana Patole quit as the BJP MP and resigned from the party to return to the Congress earlier this year, necessitating the by-election. KERALA: The bypoll in Chengannur constituency was necessitated following the death of sitting MLA KK Ramachandran Nair of the CPI(M) in January this year. The result is widely seen as a referendum on the performance of both the the state and the Central government