A total of 48 Assembly seats went to the bypolls across 14 states on Saturday, with the NDA winning 28. In what political observers called the first face-off between the ruling BJP at the Centre and the Opposition INDIA bloc after the Lok Sabha polls earlier this year, the following states saw a tight electoral race—Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, MP, Meghalaya, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, UP and West Bengal.

In the politically crucial state of Uttar Pradesh, the BJP and Rashtriya Lok Dal won in seven bypoll constituencies, while Akhilesh Yadav’s SP won only Karhal and Sishamau. While the Congress was seen in choppy electoral waters once again after the Maharashtra debacle, Karnataka gave the Grand Old Party a reason to rejoice. Buoyed by ruling party's victory in all three Assembly constituencies in Karnataka, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday said he won in the “people’s court”.