By-poll results will be declared three days later. (Representational)
Four Lok Sabha by-elections will be held today in three states, including Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Nagaland. The by-poll in Maharashtra's Palghar is being held because of the death of BJP leader Chintaman Wanaga, earlier this year. BJP ally Shiv Sena, in what was seen as an unexpected move, fielded Mr Wanaga's son Shrinivas for the seat, while BJP field Rajendra Gavit as its candidate.
Mr Gavit was a former Congress minister and joined the BJP party earlier this month. Damu Shingda will be contesting on a Congress ticket. Local party, Bahujan Vikas Aghadi has fielded Baliram Jadhav for the by-poll.
Another Lok Sabha seat, Bhandara-Gondia, in Maharashtra fell vacant after Nana Patole, who won the seat in 2014 on a BJP ticket, quit the party last year and resigned from his parliamentary membership. The Nationalist Congress Party has fielded Madhukar Kukde, while the BJP nominated Hemant Patle. The main contest will be between the BJP and the NCP.
Uttar Pradesh's Kairana by-election is being held after the death of BJP leader Hukum Singh who, in 2014, got more votes than all other candidates put together. His daughter, Mriganka Singh is will be contesting the by-poll on a BJP ticket. Rashtriya Lok Dal's Begum Tabassum Hasan will be contesting against Mriganka Singh, who is being backed by Akhilesh Yadav's Samajwadi Party, the Congress and Nishad Party. While Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party or BSP is supporting the Rashtriya Lok Dal candidate, the party has not made it official.
Poll results will be declared three days later, and the opposition hopes to replicate the success of Gorakhpur and Phulpur - where the Samajwadi Party joined hands with its rival Bahujan Samaj Party to defeat the ruling BJP, clinching the former seat of UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.