BJP candidate Jahar Chakraborty on Monday won the Dharmanagar Assembly bypoll in Tripura by a margin of 18,920 votes over his nearest CPI(M) rival.
Chakraborty secured 24,291 votes, while CPI(M)’s Amitabha Dutta polled 6,001 votes. Congress candidate Chayan Bhattacharya received 5,936 votes.
Earlier trends during counting had shown Chakraborty heading for a massive victory, taking a lead of nearly 14,000 votes after initial rounds. Counting began at 8 am under tight security in North Tripura, with all polled EVMs brought to the counting hall as per schedule. A prohibitory order under Section 163 of BNS was enforced within a 100-metre radius to maintain law and order, and senior police officials monitored the arrangements.
Six candidates were in the fray, though the main contest remained between the BJP, CPI(M) and Congress.
The bypoll was necessitated by the death of former Tripura Assembly Speaker Biswa Bandhu Sen in December 2025. Polling held on April 9 recorded a voter turnout of 79.84 per cent.
With this victory, the BJP’s tally in the 60-member Assembly has risen to 33, while its allies, Tipra Motha Party (TMP) has 13 MLAs and the Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura has one.
Chief Minister Manik Saha expressed heartfelt gratitude to the people of Dharmanagar for favouring the BJP with an overwhelming mandate.
"I sincerely express my heartfelt gratitude to the people of Dharmanagar for electing Bharatiya Janata Party candidate, Jahar Chakraborty, with an overwhelming majority in the Dharmanagar by-election," he wrote on Facebook.
Saha added, "Your immense support and trust have made us even more responsible. We are committed to working tirelessly towards the overall development, peace, and progress of Dharmanagar.Let us move forward together and take this journey of development even further with everyone's support".
(With input PTI)