The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has won the five bye assembly seats in Assam, with sixth one in Meghalaya in Tura won by ruling NPP.
BJP won the Samaguri assembly seat, breaking the Congress party’s decades-long hold on the constituency.
BJP candidate Diplu Ranjan Sarma secured a decisive victory with a margin of 26,200 votes, defeating Tanzil Hussain of the Congress.
The win is significant for the BJP as Samaguri has long been a Congress bastion.
Tanzil Hussain, the son of veteran Congress leader and Dhubri MP Rakibul Hussain, was expected to hold onto the constituency, but the BJP’s aggressive campaigning and strategic outreach to voters turned the tide.
After the announcement of the results, Diplu Ranjan Sarma expressed gratitude to the people of Samaguri for placing their trust in him.
“This victory belongs to the people. We will work tirelessly to bring development and prosperity to the region,” Sarma said.
The by-poll results are expected to have broader implications for Assam’s political landscape, with the BJP continuing to consolidate its position across the state. The win in Samaguri adds to the party’s momentum as it prepares for upcoming elections. Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma expressed gratitude and satisfaction over the bypoll results in the Gambegre Assembly constituency, calling the outcome a testament to the people’s commitment to development. “The results align with our expectations. We are deeply grateful to the people of Gambegre for their support and trust,” he stated.
Dr. Mehtab Chandee A. Sangma, wife of CM Conrad Sangma, scripted history by clinching the Gambegre seat with a significant margin of 4,594 votes. Her victory shattered Congress’ stronghold in the constituency, which had been a bastion for over a decade.
This win marks a milestone for the National People’s Party (NPP), which had previously struggled in Gambegre. In the 2023 Assembly elections, the NPP failed to secure even the runner-up position, with Congress and the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) dominating the field.
Dr. Mehtab Chandee’s triumph is particularly remarkable as it marks her debut in electoral politics. She successfully defeated seasoned contenders like Sadhiarani M. Sangma of AITC, who has contested the seat twice before and is currently a Member of District Council (MDC) in the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC). Sadhiarani is also the wife of former state minister Zenith Sangma and the sister-in-law of Mukul M. Sangma, Leader of Opposition and former Chief Minister of Meghalaya.
BJP’s Bernard N. Marak, another MDC and a prominent political figure, was also in the fray. Despite his efforts, he could not replicate his second-place finish from the 2023 Assembly elections in South Tura, where he contested against Conrad Sangma.
Jingjang M. Marak of Congress, a close aide of Saleng A. Sangma, finished third in the bypolls. Despite Congress’ historical dominance in Gambegre, the party failed to regain its foothold.