Uttarakhand bypoll: Bageshwar Assembly seat's byelection to be held on 5 September

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Also read: Bengal bypoll: Dhupguri seat to put INDIA opposition bloc's unity to test Das passed away on April 23 after a sudden cardiac arrest. He represented the Bageshwar constituency for four consecutive terms since 2007. Upon his demise, the state government declared three days of official mourning.

The chief minister, according to sources, is also likely to expand his council of ministers after the bye-election. Also read: Kerala Bypolls: Congress exudes confidence in winning Puthupally seat, following Oommen Chandy's 53-year-stint Das won in 2022 from Bageshwar by a big margin--43.14% of the votes as opposed to Congress candidate Ranjit Das who got 26.88% of votes. Ranjit Das has joined the BJP.

Earlier, on Sunday, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami talked up the ruling BJP's prospects in the Bageshwar bypoll, saying that the party's candidate — the widow of the departed MLA Chandan Ram Das, Parvati — would win by a handsome majority. Addressing a rally ahead of the September 5 bye-election, earlier, CM Dhami said, "We have always received the blessings of the voters here in Bageshwar, and this time, too, I can sense that the public mood is in our favour. I am hopeful that the BJP and our candidate Parvati Das will win with a thumping majority." Also read: Jharkhand Bypolls: INDIA bloc and NDA to clash over Dumri assembly seat tomorrow On Monday, the BJP state president Mahendra Bhatt wrote to the Election Commission accusing the central observer for the upcoming Bageshwar Assembly bypoll, Rajesh Kumar, of bias and demanding that he be replaced at the earliest.