Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Sunday scripted an astounding victory in the crucial bypoll in the eastern state to cement her position as the biggest opposition leader in India. The 66-year-old won the by-election for the assembly constituency of Bhawanipur in state capital Kolkata by a whopping margin of 59,000 votes over her main rival, a little-known lawyer from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Read: Mamata all set to win crucial Bengal bypoll "I have won the Bhawanipur assembly bypoll with a margin of 58,832 votes and have registered the victory in every ward of the constituency," Mamata said, addressing the media in Kolkata. The firebrand politician had to contest in the bypoll as she was defeated in Nandigram by her protege-turned-rival Suvendu Adhikari in April-May's assembly elections though her ruling Trinamool Congress party swept back to power in Bengal. India's main opposition Congress, on the other hand, did not fielded any candidate against Mamata. The party's decision was announced by West Bengal Congress chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury earlier last month. On May 2, Mamata single-handedly pulled off a landslide victory in the assembly election for the third time in a row, bucking anti-incumbency and staving off a massive challenge from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's BJP. Read: Crucial bypoll begins in Bengal to decide Mamata's fate In June this year, Mamata moved the high court to declare Suvendu's election win "null and void' on the grounds that he had indulged in corrupt practices and sought votes on the basis of religion.  Bengal had witnessed the most high-profile contest in India's recently held state polls. While Mamata harped on being Bengal’s daughter, the BJP asked people to vote for "change and development" after 50 years of Communist and Trinamool rule.

Dr Pran Gopal Dutta has got the Awami League (AL) nomination for Comilla-7 parliamentary bypoll slated for October 7. The seat fell vacant following the death of Prof Ali Ashraf. As per schedule, the deadline for the submission of nominations is September 13, while the date for the scrutiny of nomination papers is September 14 and the last date for the withdrawal of candidature is September 19. The decision to field Dr Pran was taken at the joint meeting of AL parliamentary nomination board and AL nomination board for local government election. AL president and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina presided over the meeting held at her official residence Gonobhaban. READ: Voting underway for bypoll to Sylhet-3 constituency The ruling party also picked its candidates for contesting the by-elections in nine upazila parishads and bypoll in Godagari municipality in Rajshahi and Dhaka South City Corporation wards. The Awami League chairman aspirants for the bypolls in nine upazilas are -- Mostafa Farid Ahmed Chowdhury for Sadar upazila in Jashore district, Nzma Sarwar for Kachua upazila in Bagerhat district, Mohammad Shamsul Alam Bhuiya for Sonargaon upazila in Narayanganj district, Aftab Uddin Bhuiya for Sadar upazila in Narsingdi district, Rakibul Hasan Shibli for Bajitpur upazila in Kishoreganj, Rabbani Zabbar for Khaliajuri upazila in Netrakona district, Vanu Lal Roy for Srimangal upazila in Moulvibazar district, Nasrin Zahan Chowdhury for Shahrasti upazila in Chandpur district, and Sushen Chandra Sheel for Sadar upazila in Feni district. READ: Parliamentary bypolls: AL announces candidates for three vacant seats Meanwhile, the ruling party has announced its aspirants for contesting by-elections in two municipalities. The aspirants are Ayez Uddin Biswas for the Godagari municipality of Rajshahi division, and Mohammad Ziaul Haque of No 73 ward of Dhaka South City Corporation.