Vote Counting for Byelections Across 14 States Begins; Priyanka Gandhi Leads in Wayanad

New Delhi: The counting of votes for byelections across 48 assembly seats in 14 states, along with two Lok Sabha seats, has begun. States involved in the bypolls include Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Meghalaya, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal.

In the Lok Sabha byelections, Kerala’s Wayanad and Maharashtra’s Nanded are in focus.

These elections mark the electoral debut of Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, contesting from Wayanad. The seat, earlier held by her brother Rahul Gandhi, was vacated when he retained the Rae Bareli seat after winning both constituencies in the previous election.

Rahul Gandhi has been campaigning actively for Priyanka, expressing confidence in her connection with the constituency. “If she likes you, she will go beyond expectations. She is going to like Wayanad a lot. A huge part of being a good MP is liking the people and the place you represent,” he told voters during a rally.

As of 10 am, Priyanka Gandhi is leading in Wayanad with over 1.2 lakh votes. CPI candidate Sathyan Mokeri trails with 36,000 votes, followed by BJP’s Navya Haridas with 21,442 votes.

Meanwhile, results from six assembly seats in West Bengal will be crucial for the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC). The outcome is expected to reflect the impact of ongoing protests related to the RG Kar rape and murder case. The TMC aims to maintain its dominance, having won most assembly bypolls since 2021, except for a setback in Sagardighi earlier this year.