The year 2018 is turning out to be an eventful year for India in terms of politics, with 4 states already been to polls while 4 states will go to polls by the end of the year in the run-up to the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Apart from the state assembly elections, there have been several by-elections taking place simultaneously. Each election has thrown a surprise with regards to the winner, parties have been battling out against each other as every election serves as a boost for the winning party before the next year’s General Elections.
With elections in Karnataka over, the focus for parties shifted to upcoming Parliamentary by-elections in Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, and Nagaland, with 4 seats in these state remaining vacant either due to the resignation of MPs or due the unfortunate demise of the MPs. The Election Commision of India released the schedule for polling and counting of votes in these parliamentary constituencies on May 3, the polling is scheduled to take place on May 28, while the counting of votes will take place on May 31.
Maharashtra is set to witness by-election in the parliamentary constituencies of Gondia-Bhandara and Palghar, with the seat in Gondia-Bhandara falling vacant after BJP MP Nana Patole quit his post and resigned from the saffron party to return to the Congress party. On the other hand, Palghar Parliamentary constituency seat fell vacant after the demise of BJP MP Chinataman Vanaga, who died due to a heart attack in January. BJP is looking to capture both the seats that were previously held by the party, while Congress is looking to upstage BJP in another by-elections.
Uttar Pradesh in the meanwhile, is preparing for another by-election in Kairana Lok Sabha constituency after by-elections were held recently in Gorakhpur and Phulpur parliamentary constituencies at the beginning of the year. The Kairana seat fell vacant after the death of BJP MP Hukum Singh in February, as the veteran leader was hospitalised for a month due severe breathing problems before, he breathed his last breathe inside the hospital. BJP has fielded the late leader’s daughter Mriganka Singh, RLD has given ticket to Tabassum Hasan, as BSP and SP have offered their support to the RLD candidate.
Before the assembly elections in Nagaland, Neiphiu Rio was the MP from Nagaland Parliamentary constituency, before he resigned from the seat to contest in the state assembly elections. The seat has remained vacant since. Nagaland has only one seat in the Lok Sabha, and the state is going to polls on May 28 to vote for a candidate to fill the vacant lone parliamentary seat.
With countdown beginning for the next year’s Lok Sabha elections, the results of these parliamentary by-elections will give the parties enough time to introspect after the defeat, while the winners can be confident as winning the by-elections can most probably guarantee the party’s chances of securing these seats in the next year’s Lok Sabha elections.
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