Votes are set to be counted and results will be out on Thursday for Assembly polls in Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland with the keenly-fought battle in the three northeastern states marking the first round of polls in an electorally-crucial year.
Meghalaya and Nagaland went for assembly polls on February 27 and voting was held in Tripura on February 16. The three states witnessed high voter turnout. The BJP, which has replaced Congress as the dominant party in the northeast, is optimistic of its prospects in the three states.
About bypolls in Tamil Nadu, West Bengal & Maharashtra
Apart from the three states, results will also be declared in the bypolls for Erode (East) seat in Tamil Nadu, Sagardighi in West Bengal, Ramgarh in Jharkhand where polling was held on February 27. Polling for Kasba Peth and Chinchwad in Maharashtra was held on February 26. Apart from the assembly polls, the bypolls have also evoked wide interest due to battle for supremacy between two factions of Shiv Sena.
Though the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction is not the contesting the bypolls, it has thrown its weight behind the Maha Vikas Agadhi candidates. The bypolls are the first since the Election Commission recognised the faction led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde as the real Shiv Sena and allotted it party name and symbol.
The bypoll to the Erode East assembly seat in Tamil Nadu is also significant for both the ruling DMK and opposition AIADMK.
Exit polls show BJP sweeping the North eastern states
The exit polls have predicted a clear victory of NDPP-BJP alliance in Nagaland, a clear edge to BJP in Tripura and a hung verdict in Meghalaya.
While Tripura saw 87.76 per cent polling, it was 85.90 per cent in Nagaland and 85.27 per cent in Meghalaya. Meghalaya Chief Minister and National People's Party leader Conrad Sangma met Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday night. The parties were partners in the ruling coalition but fought the assembly polls separately.
BJP leader Rituraj Sinha expressed confidence of party's performance in the three northeastern states. "People in North-East saw good work done by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Our government will be elected in these states. Our vote share will increase," Sinha said on Tuesday. The BJP had created a record in Tripura in 2018 election, ousting Left parties from their bastion and hopes to continue its winning run. Left parties and Congress joined hands in this election to give a tough fight to BJP.
Tipra Motha, a regional party led by Pradyot Debbarma, a member of Tripura's erstwhile royal family, is also expected to make its presence felt.The BJP has allied with IPFT (Indigenous People's Front of Tripura), its partner in the previous assembly polls. The BJP contested 55 seats of 60-member assembly in Tripura in Februart 27 election. The Left Front fielded candidates in 47 seats and Congress on 13. Tipra Motha fought 42 seats and Trinamool Congress put up candidates on 28 seats.
