Bypoll  

After the ruling AIADMK is assured of holding on to its seat for the remainder of its term, party leaders O Panneerselvam and K Palaniswami thanked the people of the nine by-poll constituencies where they had won.

The political scenario in Tamil Nadu has been on the boil ever since the demise of former chief minister J Jayalalithaa. The state that saw both the Lok Sabha and the bypoll results on May 23 suggested that the DMK had been leading by a huge margin in the bypolls, yet that wasn’t sufficient to stake claim to the CM post.

BJP has won 25 seats and except for two seats (one each for Congress and the JDS), the coalition has failed miserably in Karnataka 
 

DMK chief MK Stalin can certainly take credit for the party's lead in 37 Lok Sabha constituencies of Tamil Nadu. With Modi's victory at the Centre, and AIADMK's chances of scraping through the possible floor test crisis post the bypolls, DMK's victory may just be bitter-sweet.

A 60-year-old man exercised his franchise one last time before breathing his last on May 19. The man walked out of the booth and immediately collapsed. The voter turnout for the by-polls in the four constituencies, in Tamil Nadu, stands at 46% as of May 19, 1PM.

With by-polls in four constituencies underway in Tamil Nadu, deputy chief minister of Tamil Nadu O Panneerselvam has stated that AIADMK will emerge victorious.
 

Chimmadayi village polling saw a groom in wedding attire cast his vote as his bride Swapna looked on. Swapna could not cast her vote as she belongs to a different village.  

By-poll is being conducted in Chincholi and Kundagol constituencies of Karnataka. People, including a pregnant woman, stood in long queues in Chincholi to cast their votes. BJP’s candidate from Kundagol visited Doddoppa temple before casting his vote.

Leading to more speculations if Siddaramaiah is really upset with the JDS in Karnataka, he fumbled and forgot while taking the name of chief minister Kumaraswamy’s political secretary Kona Reddy while addressing a gathering in Kundagol

Congress leaders Siddaramaiah and Umashri stooped low in their endeavour to criticise BJP leaders. While one wondered if BJP leaders would wear sarees, the other termed BS Yeddyurappa ‘three-day sultan’.

Apart from a control unit, ballot unit and VVPAT for each polling station, the Election Commission has also arranged for 43 additional control units, 44 ballot units and 157 VVPATs, to prevent any disruption during election.

Barbs fly thick and fast as the bypoll in Chincholi and Kundagol draw closer in Karnataka. While Congressmen challenge BJP leaders to come out in the open and have a debate on developmental issues under Modi’s regime, BJP hit back saying Modi is an extremely capable leader, under whom India has grown leaps and bounds.

In his campaign speech in Chincholi, Karnataka, Basangouda Patil Yatnal, senior BJP leader criticised Mallikarjun Kharge, the leader of opposition and former Prime Minister Deve Gowda for resorting to family politics and other issues 

Bypolls will be held in two constituencies – Chincholi and Kundagol – in north Karnataka on May 19. The bypolls in these two places become important because the results will have a bearing on the state politics of Karnataka, in which the Congress and the JD(S) have a coalition. 

At the moment, on paper, the AIADMK has 114 MLAs in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly. It would require at least four more MLAs to stay put in power. Apart from having to win a minimum of four more MLAs, the AIADMK also has the tough task of keeping its MLAs under control