It was a mixed bag for the Congress in Assembly by-polls in six states winning three of the eight seats at stake today with the sweetener being the defeat of its deserter and Trinamul minister in West Bengal.
But another the Congress turncoat tasted success when Joginerpal Jain of ruling Shiromani Aakali Dal(SAD) trounced the party candidate in Punjab. The by-poll was necessitated after Jain deserted the Congress to join the SAD.
Of the eight seats, the Congress won one each in West Bengal, Assam and Mizoram while its ally the NCP bagged the lone seat in Maharashtra. The Trinamul Congress and the Left Front(LF) notched one each in West Bengal while the SAD and the Samajwadi Party(SP) bagged one seat in Punjab and Uttar Pradesh respectively.
In West Bengal, the Congress took a sweet revenge when Rabiul Alam Choudhury defeated its former MLA Humayan Kabir, who is now a Trinamul minister, from Rejinagar seat in Murshidabad district. Kabir came third behind a Left Front candidate.
Ruling Trinamul Congress secured one seat( English Bazar in Malda district) and fared badly in the by-elections to the other two seats coming third in constituencies which it was expected to win. State minister Krishnendu Narayan Choudhury bagged the English Bazar district with the LF nominee coming second. LF candidate Dipak Chatterjee won from Nalhati in Birbhum district over the Congress rival.
During the 2011 Assembly elections, the Congress had won all the three seats when it had an alliance with the Trinamul. The by-polls were the first after the Congress and Trinamul parted ways.
SP candidate Ashutosh Upadhyaya alias Babloo, son of former Uttar Pradesh minister Kameshwar Upadhyaya, won the Bhatparrani seat in Deoria district defeating an Independent candidate. The BSP was in the thrid position and the Congress was reported to be placed fourth.
In Maharashtra, NCP candidate Sandhyadevi Babasaheb Kupekar won the Chandgad seat in Kolhapur district defeating an Independent candidate. Ruling Congress nominee Dr Ngurdingliana won the Chalfilh seat in Mizoram defeating his nearest rival, a Mizo National Front (MNF) candidate.
In Assam, Congress’ Mandira Roy wrested the Algapur seat defeating her nearest AIUDF rival Mehbubul Hassan in a close contest. Mandira is wife of public health and engineering minister Gautam Roy.