BJP Takes The Lead in Tripura, Congress in Meghalaya

Putting up a remarkable show, the BJP and its alliance partner, Indigenous People's Front of Tripura, surged ahead of the ruling CPI-M-led Left Front in the counting of votes for the 59 assembly constituencies in Tripura on Saturday.

Polling has been countermanded in one constituency of the 60-strong assembly following the death of a CPI-M candidate a week before the February 18 polls.

The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) spearheaded LF, which has been ruling the Northeastern state uninterruptedly for the past 25 years, is leading in 16 of the 40 seats for which trend is available.

The Bharatiya Janata Party candidates are leading in 19 seats, while nominees of the tribal-based party (IPFT) are occupying poll position in five constituencies after the first round of counting of votes.

The BJP had got only around 1.5 per cent votes in the assembly election five years back.

Sitting CPI-M legislator and Tribal Welfare Minister Aghore Debbarma (Asharambari constituency), Deputy Speaker of the Tripura assembly Pabitra Kar (Khayerpur), Samiran Malakar (Pabiachara), Manoranjan Debbarma (Mandai Bazar), Ratan Das (Ramnagar), Manindra Chandra Das (Kalyanpur-Promodnagar) are among the notable Left candidates who are trailing.

Chief Minister and CPI-M politburo member Manik Sarkar (Dhanpur constituency), Health and PWD Minister Badal Choudhury (Hrishamukh), Education Minister Tapan Chakraborty (Chandipur), BJP President Biplab Kumar Deb (Banamalipur), BJP nominees Sudip Roy Barman (Agartala), Ratanlal Nath (Mohanpur) are leading over their rival candidates.

A three-tier security is in place in 20 locations across the state where 59 counting halls have been set up. Counting of votes are progressing simultaneously for all the 59 constituencies.

Prohibitory orders under 144 CrPc has been promulgated in and around all the locations as a precautionary measure.

"Huge numbers of central para-military force and state security forces have been deployed to tackle any disturbances during the process," Additional Chief Electoral Officer Tapas Roy told IANS.

Metal detectors and six CCTVs in each counting hall were installed while videography is being done to record the entire counting process, he said.

The Election Commission has appointed 47 general observers and eight police observers to oversee the counting process.

A total of 290 candidates, including 23 women of the ruling CPI-M, Communist Party of India, BJP and Congress and many independents, are in the fray.

Balloting in Charilam (reserved for the tribals) has been deferred to March 12 after CPI-M candidate Ramendra Narayan Debbarma died a week before the polls.

Over 92 per cent (excluding 50,700 postal ballots) of Tripura's 2,536,589 voters cast their votes on February 18 in a peaceful election, setting a new record in India's electoral history.

Congress leads in 21, NPP in 14 seats in Meghalaya

Shillong: The ruling Congress is leading in 21 seats while the National People's Party is ahead in 14 and the BJP in six in the vote count for the Meghalaya assembly on Saturday, the Election Commission said in New Delhi.

Polling for 59 out of the state's 60 assembly seats was held on February 27. The election to one seat was countermanded following the killing of a candidate.

As per the counting on 58 seats out of 60, Congress was leading in 21 seats.

The Conrad Sangma-led NPP, which is an ally of the Bharatiya Janata Party at the Centre, Rajasthan and Manipur, fought the elections in Meghalaya on its own and is leading in 14 seats. The BJP is leading on six as per the early trends.

Sangma, who has won five consecutive terms from Ampati constituency since 1993, is leading by 797 votes over his nearest rival Bakul Ch. Hajong of the BJP.

According to poll panel, United Democratic Party (UDP) was leading on six seats, while the People's Democratic Front was leading on five seats and independent candidates were leading on at least four seats.

In Songsak, the veteran Congress leader is leading by 1,501 votes against NPP's Nihim D. Shira.

The Congress has fielded 59 candidates, while the BJP contested in 47 assembly constituencies.

Polling to the Williamnagar seat was countermanded following the killing of Nationalist Congress Party candidate Jonathone Sangma in an IED blast at Sawilgre area in East Garo Hills district on February 18.

Nagaland: BJP-NDPP Ahead

Kohima: The ruling National Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) is leading in 12 seats and its ally, the BJP, in six seats -- just ahead of the Naga Peoples Front (NPF), which is leading in 15 seats -- in the vote count for the Nagaland Assembly on Saturday, as per the Election Commission.

The figures are for the 35 out of 59 seats that went to polls on February 27.

The Bharatiya Janata Party contested the polls in alliance with the newly-floated NDPP in the state poll. The two contested in 20 and 40 seats, respectively.

The voting was held in 59 of the total 60 constituencies as three-time Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio of the NDDP was declared elected unopposed from Northern Angami-II constituency.

The Janata Dal-United and National People's Party are each ahead in one seat.

Three NE States Elections Results Today

Agartala/Kohima/Shillong: The counting of votes for the assembly election in Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura began today amid tight security, officials said.

Counting began at 8 AM in all the three north eastern states, Election Commission sources said.

Though the strength of each assembly is 60, voting was held for 59 constituencies in all the three states, for different reasons.

While a CPI(M) candidate died in Tripura, a Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) candidate was killed in Meghalaya, and this resulted in countermanding of the polls in one seat in each of the two states.

In Nagaland, former chief minister Neiphiu Rio won from one seat unopposed.

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

The Additional Chief Electoral Officer of Tripura, Tapas Ray said counting is on in 59 counting halls for 59 constituencies in 20 sub-divisions of all eight districts.

A three-tier security arrangement has been made for all the counting centres, Ray said adding that it is expected that the results would be out by five hours.

In Nagaland, 349 tables in 17 centres across the state have been set up for the counting of votes, its Chief Electoral Officer Abhijit Sinha said.

Votes in Nagaland are being counted in the presence of the candidates and their agents under the supervision of the respective district returning officers and assistant returning officers, State Additional CEO N Moa Aier told PTI.

Meghalaya Chief Electoral Officer F R Kharkongor said a three-tier security arrangement has been made at all the 13 counting centres and 11 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) have been deployed here for the counting process. (PTI)