New Delhi:
It has been a day of byelections in seven states across the country, several of them high profile contests.
Over 60 per cent of voters turned out on Saturday in the byelections to one Lok Sabha and 31 Assembly seats spread over seven states, which were by and large peaceful.
The polls were held under the watchful eyes of security forces and paramilitary personnel who kept a strict vigil in all the constituencies.
The results are critical for all the major parties, here's why.
Polling took place at Belgachia east, a seat that's a prestige issue for both the CPM and the Trinamool. Both sides have fought bitterly in the run up to the bypolls to 10 assembly seats - each blaming the other for being hand in glove with the Maoists.
In Belgachia, former transport minister Subhash Chakraborty's widow is pitted against the late leader's one time disciple Sujit Bose, who's now with the Trinamool.
In Uttar Pradesh, it was dynasty versus star power for the Firozabad Lok Sabha seat, which fell vacant after Mulayam Singh Yadav's son Akhilesh gave it up and retained Kannauj. His wife Dimple was pitted against former Samajwadi rebel and actor Raj Babbar, who has moved to the Congress.
"I'll say just one thing, if by god's grace and by the will of the people I'm elected, I will not take more than seven days to start work," said Raj Babbar.
"I am confident that the women will vote for me," said Dimple Yadav.
Of the 11 assembly seats that voted on Saturday, all were Mulayam's strongholds. And the results will show whether the Rahul Gandhi wave, seen in Lok Sabha polls, prove costly for the Samajwadi Party.
In Kerala, where polling was held for three seats, there's plenty of pride at stake for the ruling Left Democratic Front, that has never lost a byelection while in power. And the Congress is desperate to defend its long-held seats after its MLAs got elected to Lok Sabha.
The outcome of the bypolls could have a big impact on the future of several parties like the Left, the Trinamool, the Congress and the Samajwadi Party. And that will be known only on Tuesday, when the results will be out. (With PTI inputs)