Polling underway in byelections in Rajasthan, West Bengal - 10 points

JAIPUR/KOLKATA: Polling is underway in byelections to Lok Sabha and Assembly seats in Rajasthan and West Bengal. The bypolls in these two states are being seen as reflections on the respective state governments.

In Rajasthan, bypolls are being held to the Ajmer and Alwar Lok Sabha seats, and the Mandalgarh Assembly seat. West Bengal is seeing bypolls in the Uluberia Lok Sabha and Naopara Assembly constituencies.

1. In Rajasthan, over 38 lakh voters in all the three constituencies will decide the fate of 41 candidates.

2. A total number of 23 candidates in Ajmer Lok Sabha constituency, 11 in Alwar Lok Sabha constituency and eight candidates in Mandalgarh assembly constituency are in the fray.

3. In a first, EVM machines with photos of candidates on them would be used for polling in Rajasthan, which would take place from 8am to 6pm.

4. The BJP has fielded Labour Minister Jaswant Singh Yadav and former Union minister Sanwar Lal Jat's son Ramswaroop Lamba for the Alwar and the Ajmer Lok Sabha seats, respectively, while Shakti Singh Hada is contesting the bypoll as BJP's candidate from the Mandalgarh Assembly constituency in Bhilwara district.

5. The Congress named Vivek Dhakad as it's candidate for the Mandalgarh Assembly constituency, former MLA Raghu Sharma for the Ajmer Lok Sabha seat and Karan Singh Yadav for the Alwar Lok Sabha constituency.

6. In West Bengal, both the seats - Uluberia Lok Sabha constituency and Noapara assembly constituency, are witnessing a direct contest between the ruling Trinamool Congress and the BJP, even as the CPI(M) is trying hard to hold its ground in its erstwhile bastions.

7. The TMC, which had been in power in the Uluberia seat since 2009, has fielded Sultan Ahmed's wife Sajda this time. The CPI(M)-led Left Front had nominated Sabiruddin Molla whereas the Congress has fielded S K Madassar Hossain Warsi.

8. The BJP is the only party to field Hindu candidate Anupam Mallik from the seat. Five other independents are also in the fray from the Lok Sabha constituency.

9. In Noapara, the TMC has fielded Sunil Singh, the CPI(M) Gargi Chatterjee. Goutam Bose of the Congress and Sandip Banerjee of the BJP are the other contestants from the seat.

10. The results of the byelections in both Rajasthan and West Bengal will be announced on February 1.

(With inputs from agencies)