BJP leading in Tripura, Nagaland, NPP ahead in Meghalaya 2023
From the hills of Meghalaya to the bustling city of Dimapur, and from the Myanmar border to the Bangladesh border, more than 10 million people in 180 constituencies are eager to know what the battle for Tripura, Nagaland and Meghalaya is all about. Who will win the popular vote?
TRIPURA
In Tripura, the ruling BJP is leading in 29 seats, while the opposition Left Congress alliance is leading in 17 seats as counting of votes for the assembly elections continued on Thursday.
Tipra Moatha was leading in 12 seats, while BJP’s ally IPFT was leading in one seat. According to the Election Commission (EC), an independent candidate was also ahead.
Individually, CPI(M) was ahead in 12 seats and Congress in five seats.
Chief Minister Manik Saha is leading by 832 votes over his nearest Congress rival Ashish Kumar Saha in Town Bardowali seat.
Senior Congress leader Sudip Roy Barman is ahead of BJP’s Papia Dutta by 5,286 votes in the Agartala seat.
BJP state president Rajib Bhattacharjee trailed by 705 votes in the Banamalipur seat as Congress candidate Gopal Roy took the lead.
Union Minister Pratama Bhoumik is ahead by 136 votes over CPI(M)’s Kaushik Chanda in the Dhanpur seat.
State Congress president Birajit Sinha is leading by 7,488 votes over BJP’s Moboshar Ali in Kailashahar seat.
In the Khairpur seat, Assembly Speaker Ratan Chakraborty is ahead by 1,663 votes over CPI(M)’s Pabitra Kar.
CPI(M) state secretary Jitendra Chowdhary was ahead by 118 votes against BJP’s sitting MLA Shankar Roy in Sabroom constituency.
Ready to accept all demands of Tipra Motha except Greater Tipraland: Tripura BJP Chief Spokesperson Subrata Chakraborty.
CPI(M) state secretary Jitendra Chowdhary won the Subroom seat by 343 votes.
Deputy CM Jishnu Dev Verma lost the election from Charilam assembly constituency under Sepahijala district.
BJP’s Education Minister Ratan Lal Nath won the Mohanpur seat by 7,385 votes, IPFT’s Sukla Charan Noatia won the Jolaibari seat by 375 votes.
Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha won the town Bardowali seat by 1,257 votes.
Union Minister Pratima Bhoumik won by a margin of 3,500 votes.
BJP candidate Pramod Reang won from Sunirbazar while IPFT candidate Shukla Charan Noatia won from Jolaibari Assembly Constituency.
Sudip Roy Barman of Congress won the Agartala seat by 8,162 votes.
The BJP-IPFT alliance won 31 seats in Tripura for the second time.
Agartala: Counting of votes for 60 assembly constituencies began at 8 am on Thursday. In the first phase the postal ballots were opened for counting and in the second phase the EVM votes will be counted.
A total of 21 counting centers have been set up across the state. Counting centers have been established in 21 sub-divisional headquarters, excluding Mohanpur and Jiraniya sub-divisions of West Tripura district. The fate of 259 candidates representing various political parties will be decided on the day of counting as the state is witnessing a multi-party contest.
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party has fielded 55 candidates in the elections, while the ruling coalition IPFT is contesting five seats. Opposition CPIM and Congress are contesting elections together for the first time with the latter playing the role of junior partner with 13 seats and the latter contesting 47 seats.TIPRA Motha, the party which is considered to be the kingmaker in these elections, is contesting on 42 seats. Although the party has strong influence in the 20 tribal reserve assembly constituencies, it has not been confined to this area. It also fielded candidates on 22 general seats.
Meanwhile, some independent candidates are also in the fray. The biggest draw of the elections was the women candidates. This time a total of 31 women candidates are contesting the election. BJP has fielded the maximum number of women candidates while Tipra has the second highest number of women candidates for MLA post.
Voting for all sixty seats was completed last February 16. According to a review of the special summary, more than 2.8 million voters have been found eligible to cast their votes. On February 16, 24.66 lakh voters exercised their right to vote. The final voting turnout was recorded at close to 90 percent.
NAGALAND
The Election Commission of India said on Thursday that the ruling NDPP-BJP alliance is leading on 25 seats in the Nagaland assembly elections as per initial trends.
Counting of votes for Nagaland’s 59 assembly seats began at 8 am with postal ballots followed by EVMs.
The EC said that Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) is leading in 18 seats while its ally BJP is leading in seven seats. NDPP and BJP contested the election on a 40:20 seat sharing agreement.
NDPP supremo and Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio was leading by 6,394 votes against his nearest Indian National Congress Party rival Seyievilie Sachu.
Deputy Chief Minister and BJP candidate Y Patton is leading by 110 votes in Tyui seat of Wokha.
Among the four women candidates, two Hekhani Jakhalu and NDPP’s Salhoutuonuo Kruse are also leading in Dimapur-III and West Angami seats.
Republican Party of India (Athawale) is leading on 3 seats while LJP (Ram Vilas) is leading on two seats.
NCP is leading in five seats and independent candidates are leading in two seats.
Counting is being conducted by the state and Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) at 16 counting centers under 3-tier security.
BJP candidate P Bashangmongba Chang won the Tuensang Sadar-I seat by a margin of 5,644 votes over NCP’s nearest rival Toyang Chang.
Republican Party of India (Athawale) Y Lima Onen Chang won the Noksen Assembly constituency in Nagaland, defeating his nearest rival Nationalist Democratic Party (NDPP) KY Chuba Chang by 188 votes, the Election Commission of India said.
Republican Party of India (Athawale) candidate Imtichoba won the Tuensang Sadar II Assembly constituency in Nagaland by defeating nearest NDPP rival K Odibendang Chang by 400 votes, the Election Commission of India said.
Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDP) candidate S Keoshu Yimchunger won Nagaland’s Shamator Chessore assembly constituency by defeating the nearest Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) candidate R Tohanba by 2,295 votes.
NDPP-BJP wins 3 seats, leads in Nagaland by 30 seats, Rio leads North Angami II seat by 13,000 votes.
Hekhani Jakhlau made history by becoming the first woman elected to the Nagaland Assembly.
For the Dimapur III seat, NDPP candidate Hekhani Jakhalu defeated his nearest rival Azheto Zhimomi of Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) by 1,536 votes.
The NDPP-BJP won 15 seats, leading on 21.
The NDPP-BJP secured a majority in the 60-member Nagaland Assembly, winning 33 seats.
Nagaland Elections: NDPP supremo and CM Neiphiu Rio wins North Angami II seat by 15,824 votes.
MEGHALAYA
In Meghalaya, the ruling National People’s Party (NPP) has won two seats, and is leading in 21 other constituencies, the Election Commission said on Thursday as counting of votes for the assembly elections was underway.
UDP was leading in nine constituencies, while BJP and Trinamool Congress were leading in five seats each, and Congress and Voice of the People’s Party (VPP) were leading in four seats each.
Hill State Peoples Democratic Party (HSPDP) and Peoples Democratic Front were leading in two constituencies each.
As per the latest trends available for 57 out of 59 constituencies, three independent candidates were also ahead.
NPP candidates Coming One Ymbon and Sniawbhalang Dhar won the Raliang and Nartiang seats by a margin of 5,337 and 2,123 votes respectively.
Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma is leading in the South Tura seat by a margin of 508 votes, while his deputy Preston Tynsong is ahead in the Pynursla seat by 4,288 votes.
State Congress president Vincent H. Pala Sutanga is trailing NPP’s Santa Marie Sheila by 2,019 votes in the Saipung seat.
TMC Leader of Opposition Mukal Sangma was ahead by just 77 votes over NPP’s ND Shera from Songsak seat.
Meghalaya Assembly Speaker Metbah Lyngdoh is ahead by 100 votes over Congress’ Batskhem Ryntathiang in Mairang constituency.
In the Shillong South seat, BJP’s Sanbor Shullai is leading by 6,490 votes over VPP’s Danny Langstieh.
CM’s brother James PK Sangma, and other cabinet ministers Dasakhiat Lamare (NPP), Hamlet Dohling (NPP), Lakhmen Rymbui (UDP), Brolsing Nongsiej (UDP) and Renikton Tongkhar (UDP) DP) were behind in their respective constituencies.
NPP’s Sniawbhalang Dhar won the Nartiang seat by 2,123 votes, defeating Congress candidate Emlang Laloo.
Republican Party of India (Athawale) KY Lima Unchang won the Noksen Assembly constituency in Nagaland, defeating his nearest rival Nationalist Democratic Party (NDPP) KY Chuba Chang by 188 votes, the Election Commission of India said.
UDP’s Meghalaya Assembly Speaker Metbah Lyngdoh won the Mairang seat by 155 votes. HSPDP’s Shakliar Warjri defeated Cabinet Minister Brolding Nongsiej by 2,353 votes in the Mawthadraishan seat.
Still a few seats short of a majority, the way forward will be decided after final results: Meghalaya CM Conrad’s Sangam on election results.
From North Shillong, Adelbert Noongrum VPP defeated IPS MARIAHOM Kharkrang.
Congress MP Vincent H. Pala Sutanga lost the Saiping seat to NPP’s Santa Marie Sheila by 1,828 votes.
The NPP won 13 seats, leading on 12. UDP bag no.
TMC’s LOP Mukal Sangma won the Songsak seat by a margin of 507 votes, losing the Tikrikilla constituency to NPP’s JD Sangma by 5,313 votes.
Deputy CM Preston Tynsong won the Pynursla seat by a margin of 8,140 votes.
What the exit polls said
Exit polls predict comfortable wins for the BJP in Tripura and the NDPP-BJP alliance in Nagaland, while Meghalaya looks all set for a hung assembly, according to tradition. According to the India Today My Access poll, the BJP could win anything between 36-44 seats, while the CPM-Congress alliance and Tipra Motha could be reduced to single digits.
In Nagaland, according to their exit polls, the NDPP is expected to get 28-34 seats, the BJP may get 10-14 seats, while the Congress gets 2 and the Naga People’s Front 3-6 seats. may meet, while others may win anything in between. 5 to 15 seats.Similarly, in Meghalaya, the NPP could win anywhere between 18-24 seats, the BJP 4-8 votes, the TMC, which did not open its account in 2018, 5-9 seats. Can receive, UDP can win up to 8. -12 seats and Congress, which was the single largest party in 2018, could win 6-12 seats. Others can carry bags anywhere between 4-8 seats.
The results may vary, of course, but the exit polls give us a good sense, at least for now, of how voters in these states are now making informed decisions. If the exit polls turn out to be true, it will confirm the idea that the North East of 2023 sees no point in going against the central government, perhaps learning from years and years of neglect.
However, politics is never predictable and if the exit polls are not up to the mark, will this mean the first punch for the 2024 elections, and the first ‘assault’ on the BJP’s tenure in the North? Will come from the east?
