M A I N   N E W S

Assembly byelection results today

New Delhi, August 24
The stage is set for the outcome of the Assembly byelections held in four states, including Punjab, on August 21. The results will be declared tomorrow.

Stakes are high for the royal family of Patiala and the ruling Akalis, with two seats — Patiala and Talwandi Sabo — to be decided in Punjab.

The results will have a bearing on the political fortunes of former Union minister and wife of Congress MP Capt Amarinder Singh, Preneet Kaur, and the ruling Akalis, who are facing anti-incumbency. Preneet had lost the Lok Sabha polls to AAP’s Dharamvira Gandhi from Patiala.

The bypolls to Talwandi Sabo witnessed a triangular contest between Congress' Harminder Singh Jassi, SAD’s Jeet Mohinder Singh Sidhu and AAP’s Baljinder Kaur, while Balkar Singh, who was initially declared as AAP candidate, contested as Independent.

In Madhya Pradesh, counting will take place for Bahoriband, Vijayraghavgarh and Agar seats.

The contest on three Assembly seats in Karnataka is being seen as a test for Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and BJP vice-president BS Yeddyurappa. Both the ruling Congress and the BJP have fought hard to win Chikodi-Sadalaga, Bellary Rural and Shikaripura constituencies.

In Bihar, where 10 seats went to the polls, the outcome is being seen as the “semifinal” before the full-fledged Assembly elections are held next year.

The bypolls were held at Hajipur, Chapra, Mohiuddinagar, Parbatta, Bhagalpur, Rajnagar (SC), Jale, Mohania (SC), Narkatiaganj and Banka. — Agencies