Assembly Bypoll Results 2025: AAP Gains Ground in Gujarat and Punjab, Congress Wins Nilambur, TMC Retains Kaliganj

The results of five key Assembly bypolls declared on Monday offered a political pulse check ahead of the high-stakes Assembly elections in West Bengal and Kerala in 2026. The bypolls saw significant wins for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Gujarat and Punjab, a morale-boosting victory for the Congress in Kerala, and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) holding its ground in West Bengal. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), despite contesting all five seats, managed to win only one—Kadi in Gujarat.

These results are particularly crucial for the INDIA bloc and the BJP alike, with implications for electoral strategies in the coming state elections and the broader national political landscape.

AAP’s Resurgence in Gujarat and Punjab

For AAP, the bypolls came at a crucial time following its electoral setbacks in Delhi. The party made a strong comeback, winning both the Visavadar seat in Gujarat and the Ludhiana West seat in Punjab.

In Gujarat’s Visavadar, AAP’s Gopal Italia, a prominent face from the 2015 Patidar agitation and the party’s former state president, emerged as the giant slayer. He defeated BJP’s Kirit Patel, a former district BJP president, by a margin of over 17,000 votes, securing 75,942 votes. The BJP had hoped to reclaim this seat after an 18-year drought but failed again in what remains a challenging region.

In Punjab, AAP retained the Ludhiana West seat with Sanjeev Arora, former Rajya Sabha MP and industrialist, defeating Congress’s Bharat Bhushan Ashu by over 10,000 votes. The BJP’s Jiwan Gupta trailed in third place. The seat fell vacant after AAP MLA Gurpreet Bassi Gogi’s tragic death in January. The party ran a high-voltage campaign with AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, and Atishi actively canvassing. Kejriwal, in a post on X, noted that AAP’s winning margins had doubled since 2022, signaling increasing public support in both states.

Congress Secures Nilambur, Boosting UDF in Kerala

In Kerala, the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) clinched a significant victory in Nilambur, a seat traditionally held by the ruling Left. Aryadan Shoukath, son of veteran Congress leader Aryadan Mohammad, won by over 11,000 votes, securing 77,737 votes against CPI(M)’s M Swaraj, who received 66,660 votes.

The seat was vacated after the resignation of Left-backed independent MLA PV Anvar, who later joined the Trinamool Congress. The bypoll was seen as a prestige battle for Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, as Nilambur falls within her Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency. Her roadshow ahead of the poll further underlined the significance of this contest. BJP’s Mohan George came in a distant third.

The win bolsters the Congress’s morale in Kerala, a state where it faces stiff competition from the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) in the 2026 Assembly elections.

Trinamool Retains Kaliganj in West Bengal

In West Bengal’s Kaliganj constituency, TMC’s Alifa Ahmed—daughter of late MLA Nasiruddin Ahmed—won decisively by a margin of over 50,000 votes. The bypoll was necessitated by her father’s death in February. The BJP fielded Ashish Ghosh, but the party fell far behind in the final tally.

Kaliganj, located in Nadia district, has a Muslim-majority population of about 54%, and the bypoll was viewed as a mini-referendum on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee‘s popularity ahead of next year’s state elections.

The election result, however, was overshadowed by a tragedy—a 10-year-old girl was killed in a crude bomb blast during the counting process. The BJP alleged that the explosion occurred during the TMC’s victory celebrations, reigniting accusations of political violence in Bengal.

BJP Wins Only Kadi in Gujarat

The BJP’s lone win came from Kadi, a Scheduled Caste-reserved seat in Gujarat’s Mehsana district. Rajendra Chavda defeated his Congress and AAP rivals—Ramesh Chavda and Jagdish Chavda respectively—by over 39,000 votes.

The seat was previously held by BJP MLA Karsan Solanki, whose death in February had necessitated the bypoll. The BJP’s victory in Kadi provides it some consolation amid its underwhelming performance elsewhere.

Political Implications Going Forward

These bypoll results reflect shifting voter sentiments across regions. AAP’s victories indicate its continued relevance in Gujarat and Punjab, despite recent electoral setbacks in Delhi. The Congress’s win in Kerala points to its sustained base in the south, especially in key Lok Sabha segments. The TMC’s strong showing in Bengal reaffirms Mamata Banerjee’s enduring grassroots connect, even as concerns around political violence remain.

For the BJP, the results may serve as a warning ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections. Despite its national dominance, the party’s inability to break through in multiple states shows the strength of regional players and the INDIA bloc when localized effectively.

IT.