Early trends show lead for BJP in Nagaland, Tripura, NPP ahead in Meghalaya
Kohima,Mar 2: 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 three seats each, while the opposition TMC was ahead in two, the Election Commission (EC) said on Thursday morning as counting began for the 59 assembly constituencies in the Northeastern state.
The GNC and the UDP were also ahead in one seat each, the EC said.
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.
As exit polls predicted a hung assembly, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma met Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday night, fuelling speculations of a post-poll tie-up.
Sangma’s NPP and the BJP ran the last government together as part of the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) but fought the elections on their own.
In Tripura, the ruling BJP-IPFT alliance was ahead of the opposition Left-Congress, according to early trends on TV channels.
The BJP-IPFT alliance was ahead in 25-36 seats, while the Left-Congress alliance was leading in 11-23 seats.
The Tipra Motha, led by former royal Pradyot Debbarma, was also leading in 8-12 seats, early trends showed.
The Election Commission is yet to announce any official bulletin regarding the results.
The early trends, mainly derived from the counting of postal ballots, may change with several rounds of counting left for all the seats.
Counting of votes for the 60 assembly seats in the state 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.
-The Asian Age
