Nilambur (Kerala) [India], June 23 : Congress candidate Aryadan Shoukath, representing the United Democratic Front (UDF), continued to lead in the Nilambur Assembly by-election in Kerala's Malappuram district, holding a margin of 10,482 votes after 16 rounds of counting, according to official Election Commission trends.
UDF workers started celebrating outside the counting centreas Shoukath's lead remained consistent, signalling a possible win for the Congress candidate.
The Left Democratic Front (LDF) has fielded M Swaraj, the United Democratic Front (UDF) has fielded Aryadan Shoukath, while the BJP has fielded Adv. Mohan George is a candidate for the Nilambur Assembly constituency.
"In Nilambur, the UDF is gaining a comfortable majority, that is the present trend. Aryadan Shoukath is getting a majority... We are very comfortable, and this is what we had expected at the very outset. We are fully confident that we will be successful in the election," Kerala Congress President Sunny Joseph told ANI.
The bypoll was necessitated after the resignation of Left Democratic Front independent legislator PV Anvar, who later joined the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) after his acrimonious break-up with the ruling alliance.
In the Ludhiana West (Punjab) Assembly by-election, AAP's Sanjeev Arora is leading over Congress's Bharat Bhushan Ashu by 2,482 votes in the second round of counting. BJP's Jiwan Gupta is trailing in third position.
The bypoll was necessitated after AAP MLA Gurpreet Gogi died of a self-inflicted bullet injury in January this year.
In the Kaliganj, West Bengal seat, TMC's Alifa Ahmed is leading over Congress's Kabil Uddin Shaikh by 2715 votes in the first round of counting. BJP's Ashish Ghosh is trailing in the third position.
The by-poll was necessitated after the death of TMC leader Nasiruddin Ahmed.In the Visavadar, Gujarat Assembly by-election, BJP's Kirit Patel is leading over AAP's Gopal Italia by 150 votes in the third round of counting. Congress's Nitin Ranpariya is trailing in the third position.
The Visavadar seat fell vacant after Bhayani Bhupendrabhai Gandubhai resigned.
In Gujarat's Kadi Assembly by-election, BJP's Rajendra Chavda is leading over Congress's Ramesh Chavda by 5,752 votes in the third round of counting. AAP's Jagdish Chavda is trailing in the third position.
The Kadi bye-election was necessitated following the death of sitting MLA Karsanbhai Punjabhai Solanki in February this year.
Counting of votes is ongoing in the high-stakes assembly by-elections in five constituencies across Nilambur seat in Kerala, Ludhiana West seat in Punjab, Kaliganj seat in West Bengal, and Visavadar and Kadi seats in Gujarat.