BJP, Trinamool Win Key By-Elections, Say Stand On Notes Ban Vindicated

NEW DELHI:  Prime Minister Narendra Modi has thanked people for their faith in the BJP as the party won by-elections today in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. The BJP says it signals the people's backing for the ban on 500 and 1,000 rupee notes to combat corruption and black money.

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PM Modi tweeted on Tuesday evening, "I thank people for the continued faith in BJP and in the BJP's unwavering focus on development and good governance," also lauding BJP workers for "spirited" and "impressive" performances in the other states where by-elections were held.

"The people of India are with Narendra Modi," Union Minister Ananth Kumar declared in parliament as reports came in that the BJP has retained both seats in Madhya Pradesh - the Nepanagar assembly seat and Shahdol Lok Sabha seat.

In Assam, like Madhya Pradesh a BJP-ruled state, too the BJP has won an assembly and a parliament seat by big margins. It has retained the Lakhimpur Lok Sabha seat vacated by Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and has gained the Baithalangso assembly seat; the Congress candidate who had won in May had joined the BJP.

These were the first elections after the currency ban, over which a united opposition has attacked the government calling its implementation faulty and without concern for the poor. The government has said these are teething problems in a massive exercise to



root out corruption.

By-elections were held for four parliament and 10 assembly constituencies in six states - Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, West Bengal, Tripura, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu - and one union territory, Puducherry. Ruling parties have done well in each state without exception.

In Arunachal Pradesh, Desingu Pul, the wife of former chief minister Kalikho Pul, who committed suicide in August, won in his assembly seat Hayuliang as a BJP candidate. The BJP backs the state government after Chief Minister Pema Khandu broke away from the Congress.

In West Bengal, the Trinamool Congress of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has retained all three seats - the Monteswar assembly seat and the Coochbehar and Tamluk parliament seats.

In Tamil Nadu, J Jayalalithaa's AIADMK has retained Thiruparankundram, where its sitting lawmaker had died soon after state elections this year, and Thanjavur and Aravakurichi, where polling was cancelled because of allegations that parties were bribing voters.

Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy of the Congress has won the Nellithope Assembly seat. Mr Narayanasamy is a Lok Sabha lawmaker and needed to become a member of the state assembly within six months of being sworn in as Chief Minister in May.

Tripura's ruling CPM has won both assembly seats for which by-elections were held, retaining one and wresting the other from the Congress, which fared very poorly in both.