The Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced that by-polls to fill up vacancies in six North Indian States (including West Bengal) would be held soon.

The recently concluded Assembly by-polls in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh resulted in the BJP (which rules at the Centre) retaining power in Gujarat and wresting power from the Congress in Himachal Pradesh. Congress, however, put up an impressive show in Gujarat, winning 19 more Assembly seats as compared to its performance in 2012. It also gave the BJP jitters by establishing early leads in many seats.

The next four months would witness conduct of Assembly polls in five States including Karnataka, Nagaland and Tripura which would be an acid test for Rahul Gandhi, who has just taken over as Congress president from his mother Sonia Gandhi, who had held the post for 19 years. It is reported that Lok Sabha by-polls in 8 seats spread in six States would precede the Assembly polls in five States.

Rahul is of the firm view that winning Assembly polls in States would ensure a good performance by the party in those States during the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Alwar and Ajmer (Rajasthan), Gorakhpur and Phulpur (Uttar Pradesh), Araria (Bihar), Uluberia (West Bengal), Bhandara-Gondiya (Maharashtra) and Anantnaga (Kashmir) are the eight seats where Lok Sabha by-polls are to be held soon.

Except West Bengal, the BJP is in power (either on its own or with allies) in all the other States and as such, the Lok Sabha by-polls have become a tough battle for the BJP which might face a stiff challenge from the Congress and others in all these seats.