New Delhi: The outcome of bypolls across five assembly constituencies in four states delivered contrasting political messages, offering gains to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Gujarat and Punjab, momentum to the Congress in Kerala, and consolidation for the Trinamool Congress (TMC) in West Bengal.
The AAP registered significant victories in Gujarat’s Visavadar and Punjab’s Ludhiana (West), reclaiming both seats previously held by the party. In Gujarat, Gopal Italia, former AAP state president, secured the Visavadar seat, while in Ludhiana, AAP’s Sanjeev Arora defeated Congress candidate Bharat Bhushan Ashu by over 10,600 votes.
Celebrating the twin victories, Delhi Chief Minister and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal declared, “Some people say this is the semi-final to 2027... If 2022 was a storm, 2027 will be a typhoon.” He added, “The people of Punjab have given their stamp of approval on AAP’s work in the state.”
Kejriwal also used the occasion to take aim at the Congress, stating, “Congress has become the puppet of the BJP. I request Congress workers to join AAP — only AAP can defeat BJP.” He alleged that the Congress and BJP “fought the bypolls together” in Gujarat.
However, the Congress in Gujarat faced a setback. After the loss of two seats, state unit president Shaktisinh Gohil offered to resign, citing moral responsibility. The BJP retained the Kadi seat in the state.
In Kerala’s Nilambur constituency, the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) wrested the seat from the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF), with Aryadan Shoukath defeating CPI(M) leader M Swaraj. The result marks the fourth bypoll loss for the LDF during the current term of the Pinarayi Vijayan government.
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra lauded the win. “We worked as a team... that is the most important lesson of this success,” she posted on X, congratulating Shoukath and the people of Nilambur.
Shoukath called the result “a major win against the LDF government,” while Swaraj rejected anti-incumbency claims and said the outcome would be examined within the party. The Congress now looks to carry the momentum into the 2026 state elections.
Meanwhile, in West Bengal, the TMC retained the Kaliganj seat with a massive margin of over 50,000 votes. TMC MP Derek O’Brien noted the party has now won all 11 bypolls in the state since the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed gratitude to voters, attributing the victory to the efforts of “Maa, Mati, Manush.” In a post on X, she wrote, “I dedicate this victory to the motherland and the people of Bengal.”