It was a mixed bag for Congress in assembly by-polls in six states winning three of the eight seats at stake on thursday with the sweetener being the defeat of its deserter and Trinamool Minister in West Bengal.
But another Congress turncoat tasted success when Joginerpal Jain of ruling Shiromani Aakali Dal trounced the party candidate in Punjab. The by-poll was necessitated after Jain deserted the Congress to join the SAD.
Of the eight seats, Congress won one each in West Bengal, Assam and Mizoram while its ally NCP bagged the lone seat in Maharashtra. Trinamool Congress and Left Front notched one each in West Bengal while SAD and Samajwadi Party bagged one seat in Punjab and Uttar Pradesh respectively.
In West Bengal, Congress took a sweet revenge when Rabiul Alam Choudhury defeated its former MLA Humayan Kabir, who is now a TMC minister, from Rejinagar seat in Murshidabad district. Kabir came third behind a Left Front candidate.
Ruling Trinamool 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 Congress rival.
During the 2011 Assembly elections, Congress had won all the three seats when it had an alliance with the TMC. The by-polls were the first after Congress and TMC 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. 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.
