Kolkata/IBNS: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Trinamool Congress are engaged in a close contest in the bypoll held in West Bengal's Dhupguri.

In the initial rounds, BJP candidate Tapasi Roy was leading but TMC's Nirmal Chandra Roy soon caught up with her.

The battle is now almost evenly balanced keeping the suspense over the result on.

Dhupguri assembly constituency, which was won by BJP in 2021 state elections, fell vacant following its MLA Bishnu Pada Ray's death in July.

All three parties have fielded their candidates from the Rajbanshi community, which forms the majority of the electorate.

BJP has fielded Tapasi Roy, the wife of CRPF jawan who was martyred in Jammu and Kashmir, TMC has pitted professor Nirmal Chandra Roy while CPI-M kept its bet on folk artist Iswar Chandra Roy in the seat, which was a Left citadel for a long time since Independence.