BJP retains Dharmanagar seat by 18,290 votes in Tripura bypoll
Synopsis
BJP's Jahar Chakraborti won the Dharmanagar bypoll by a massive 18,290-vote margin, far exceeding the 956-vote win that preceded it. A fractured opposition — with Congress and CPI-M contesting separately despite their 2023 alliance — handed the BJP one of its most comfortable victories in the constituency's recent history.
Key Takeaways
BJP's Jahar Chakraborti won the Dharmanagar Assembly bypoll with 24,291 votes , defeating CPI-M's Amitabha Datta by 18,290 votes .
Results were declared on 4 May 2025 for the bypoll held on 9 April 2025 .
Over 80% of 46,142 registered voters, including 23,758 women , cast their ballots.
The seat fell vacant after the death of Assembly Speaker Biswa Bandhu Sen on 26 December 2024 .
The Left Front and Congress contested separately, splitting the opposition vote despite their 2023 seat-sharing pact.
The CPI-M last won Dharmanagar in 2003 ; the seat has been held by either Congress or BJP since 2008 .
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has retained the Dharmanagar Assembly seat in North Tripura district, with results declared on Monday, 4 May 2025, following the bypoll held on 9 April 2025. The victory consolidates the ruling party's grip on a constituency that has been a BJP or Congress stronghold since 2008.
Final Vote Count and Margin
BJP candidate Jahar Chakraborti, the party's North Tripura district Vice-President, defeated Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI-M] nominee Amitabha Datta by a commanding margin of 18,290 votes, according to the Election Commission of India (ECI). Chakraborti secured 24,291 votes, while Datta polled 6,001 votes. Congress nominee Chayan Bhattacharya finished third with 5,936 votes.
How the Counting Unfolded
Vote counting began at 8 am on Monday at the North Tripura district headquarters in Dharmanagar under tight security arrangements. Postal ballots were counted first, followed by votes cast in Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). After four rounds of counting, returning officer Debjani Choudhury declared the results. Central observers appointed by the Election Commission monitored the entire process.
Why the Seat Fell Vacant
The bypoll was necessitated by the demise of sitting MLA and Assembly Speaker Biswa Bandhu Sen, who passed away on 26 December 2024 at a private hospital in Bengaluru after a prolonged illness. He was 72 years old. Sen had been elected to the Tripura Assembly four times — twice as a Congress candidate in 2008 and 2013, and subsequently in 2018 and 2023 as a BJP nominee from the same constituency. In the 2023 election, Sen had defeated the then Left-supported Congress leader Bhattacharjee by a narrow margin of just 956 votes.
Voter Turnout and Electoral Context
Over 80 per cent of the 46,142 registered voters — including 23,758 women — exercised their franchise on 9 April 2025, reflecting strong voter participation. Notably, the Left Front and the Congress, which had entered into a seat-sharing arrangement during the 2023 Tripura Assembly elections, contested separately in this bypoll, splitting the opposition vote and adding complexity to the contest. The CPI-M last won the Dharmanagar seat in 2003, with Datta as its candidate on that occasion as well.
Political Reactions
Chief Minister Manik Saha and state BJP President Rajib Bhattacharjee congratulated Chakraborti on his victory. The win reinforces the BJP's dominance in Tripura, where the party has governed since dislodging the Left in 2018. With the opposition divided and the BJP candidate leading from the very first round of counting, the result was never seriously in doubt. The party's next challenge will be sustaining this momentum ahead of future state-level contests.
Point of View
290-vote margin is not just a win — it is a statement. In 2023, the BJP held Dharmanagar by a mere 956 votes; this time, a fractured opposition gifted the party a landslide. The decision by Congress and CPI-M to contest separately, abandoning their 2023 alliance, raises serious questions about opposition strategy in Tripura. With the CPI-M last winning this seat in 2003 and Congress now polling fewer votes than a party it once allied with, the arithmetic of anti-BJP consolidation in the state looks increasingly theoretical rather than operational.
NationPress
9 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the Dharmanagar Assembly bypoll 2025?
BJP candidate Jahar Chakraborti won the Dharmanagar Assembly bypoll, securing 24,291 votes and defeating CPI-M's Amitabha Datta by a margin of 18,290 votes. Congress nominee Chayan Bhattacharya finished third with 5,936 votes.
Why was the Dharmanagar bypoll held in 2025?
The bypoll was held because sitting MLA and Tripura Assembly Speaker Biswa Bandhu Sen passed away on 26 December 2024 in Bengaluru after a prolonged illness at the age of 72. His death created the vacancy in the Dharmanagar constituency.
What was the voter turnout in the Dharmanagar bypoll?
Over 80 per cent of the 46,142 registered voters cast their ballots in the Dharmanagar bypoll on 9 April 2025, including 23,758 women voters.
Why did the opposition perform poorly in the Dharmanagar bypoll?
The Left Front and Congress, despite having a seat-sharing arrangement in the 2023 Tripura Assembly elections, contested separately in this bypoll, splitting the anti-BJP vote. Together, their candidates polled 11,937 votes against Chakraborti's 24,291.
What is the political history of the Dharmanagar Assembly seat?
Dharmanagar has been held by either the Congress or the BJP since 2008. The CPI-M last won the seat in 2003. Biswa Bandhu Sen won it four times — twice for Congress (2008, 2013) and twice for BJP (2018, 2023).
