Early trends show lead for BJP in Nagaland, Tripura, NPP ahead in Meghalaya
BJP workers gather outside the party office during counting of votes for Tripura Assembly elections, in Agartala, Thursday, March 2, 2023.
Kohima: As per early trends of the Assembly elections held in the three northeastern states , BJP is leading in Nagaland and Tripura while the ruling NPP is ahead in Meghalaya.
The ruling NDPP-BJP alliance seems to be marching ahead to power in Nagaland as per early trends of the state Assembly elections.
The trends in television channels indicate that the NDPP-BJP was ahead in more than 40 seats while the NPF had taken an early lead in six seats.
Counting of votes started at 8 am with postal ballots.
The Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) and BJP had a pre-poll alliance and contested the elections on a 40:20 seat sharing basis.
Naga Peoples’ Front (NPF) contested 22 seats and the Congress which ruled the state till 2003 and does not have any member in the current house contested 23 seats
Most exit polls had predicted that the NDDP-BJP alliance would return to power in Nagaland.
In Meghalaya, the ruling NPP was leading in 17 seats, while the UDP was ahead in nine, the Election Commission said on Thursday as the counting of votes for the assembly elections was underway.
The TMC was leading in five seats, the BJP and the VPP were leading in four seats each, while the HSPDP was ahead in two and the Congress in one.
Two independent candidates were also leading.
Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma was leading in the South Tura seat with a margin of just 44 votes over his nearest rival Bernard N Marak of the BJP.
State Congress president Vincent H Pala was trailing by 1,257 votes in the Sutnga Saipung seat against NPP’s Santa Mary Shylla.
Leader of opposition Mukul Sangma of the TMC was leading from the Songsak seat by 457 votes over NPP’s ND Shira.
Counting of votes began in Meghalaya at 8 am amid tight security. The votes are being counted at 13 centres.
Meghalaya has 60 seats, but polling in the Sohiong seat was adjourned due to the death of a candidate.
In Tripura, the ruling BJP was leading in 29 seats, while the opposition Left-Congress alliance was ahead in 17 seats as counting of votes was underway on Thursday for the assembly elections.
The Tipra Motha was leading in 12 seats, while BJP ally IPFT was leading in one seat. An independent candidate was also leading, according to the Election Commission (EC).
Individually, the CPI(M) was ahead in 12 seats and the Congress in five seats.
Chief Minister Manik Saha was leading in the Town Bardowali seat over his nearest Congress rival Ashish Kumar Saha by 832 votes.
Senior Congress leader Sudip Roy Barman was ahead of BJP’s Papia Dutta in the Agartala seat by 5,286 votes.
BJP state president Rajib Bhattacharjee was trailing by 705 votes in the Banamalipur seat as Congress candidate Gopal Roy took a lead.
Union Minister Pratma Bhoumik was leading by 136 votes over CPI(M)’s Kaushik Chanda in the Dhanpur seat.
State Congress president Birajit Sinha was ahead in the Kailashahar seat by 7,488 votes over BJP’s Moboshar Ali.
In the Khayerpur seat, assembly speaker Ratan Chakraborty was leading by 1,663 votes over CPI(M)’s Pabitra Kar.
CPI(M) state secretary Jitendra Chowdhury was leading by 118 votes against BJP’s incumbent MLA Sankar Roy in the Sabroom constituency.
Counting of votes for the 60 seats began at 8 am amid tight security. The polling was held on February 16. A total of 89.98 per cent of 28.12 lakh voters exercised their franchise.
