Northeast election results 2018: Tripura could be BJP’s prize catch

Tripura went to the polls on February 18 while elections were held in Nagaland and Meghalaya on February 27.

Counting of votes is underway in the northeastern states of Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura, where the BJP carried out a high-voltage election campaign spearheaded by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party president Amit Shah. The party has already scripted success stories in NE’s Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh.  The assembly election results are being keenly watched, especially in Tripura, where the Left Front is in a direct fight with the BJP for the first time. In Nagaland, too, the BJP, which is in alliance with the NDPP, is expected to give a tough fight to the ruling NPF. In Meghalaya, the Congress, which has been in power for 15 years in the state, is battling anti-incumbency. BJP is likely to make good gains here.

Nearly three hours into counting, trends show the BJP marching ahead of Manik Sarkar-led CPI-M, which has been in power for over two decades, leading in Tripura; in Meghalaya, Congress looks comfortably ahead of its rivals, while the NDPP, which is in alliance with the BJP, is surging ahead in Nagaland.

All three states have 60 seats, however, elections were held for 59 seats. While a CPI(M) candidate died in Tripura, a Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) candidate was killed in Meghalaya. In Nagaland, former chief minister Neiphiu Rio won from one seat unopposed.

Elections in Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland took place on February 18 and 27, respectively. LATEST TRENDS

A three-tier security arrangement has been made for all the counting centres, said Additional Chief Electoral Officer of Tripura, Tapas Ray, adding it is expected that the results would be out within five hours of the commencement of counting of votes.

In Tripura, two exit polls have suggested the BJP dethroning the CPI (M)-led government that has had an uninterrupted run since 1993.

BJP had contested 50 seats in the last assembly polls in 2013 and its candidates forfeited their deposits on 49 seats. However, with just 1.87 per cent of votes, it failed to win any seat in the state. The CPI-M had won 49 of the 55 seats it contested while the Congress managed to win 10 out of 48 seats it contested.

Exit polls for the three northeastern states

This year, the BJP is contesting on 50 seats and has left nine seats for its ally, the Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT). The Congress fielded candidates for all 59 constituencies but one of its candidates withdrew his nomination and joined the BJP. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has fielded 24 candidates. READ HERE FOR LIVE UPDATES

Meghalaya saw around 84 per cent voting and the contest in the state involves the ruling Congress, BJP, National People’s Party (NPP) and the newly floated People’s Democratic Front. Polling in Williamnagar constituency of the state was countermanded following the death of NCP candidate in an IED blast. In the last assembly elections held in the state in 2013, the BJP had to face a heart-wrenching defeat as it lost all 13 seats it contested with a vote share of just 6.2 per cent. The NPP had won only two seats out of 32 it contested.

The CVoter exit poll has predicted the ruling Congress suffering some setback with its tally coming down to 13-19 from 29 while the BJP is set to win 4-8 seats and around 16.5 per cent of vote share. It said the NPP may get 17-23 seats.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi has been leading Congress’ charge in this election season, with focus on curbing the anti-incumbency sentiments and retaining power in Meghalaya. READ HERE FOR LIVE UPDATES

In Nagaland, the BJP is contesting the polls in alliance with the newly-floated Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) and the two are contesting 20 and 40 seats respectively. The assembly polls in the state witnessed a similar turnout as Meghalaya recorded nearly 75 per cent polling.

The CVoter survey has predicted a victory for the BJP-NDPP with the combine likely to get 25-31 seats with 38.4 per cent vote share. It predicted that the ruling Naga People’s Front (NPF) will bag 19-25 seats with a vote share of 27.1 per cent. NPF had won 38 seats and 47.65 vote share in 2013 elections. According to the survey, the Congress tally may come down to 0-4 seats this time around.

The voting in the state was held in 59 of the total 60 constituencies as three-time Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio of the NDDP has been declared elected unopposed from Northern Angami-II constituency. READ HERE FOR LIVE UPDATES

The BJP is having its governments in three states of the region–Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh. And if the saffron party comes to power in Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura, it would be successful in fulfilling its “Congress-mukt Northeast” agenda.

(With inputs from IANS and PTI)

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