Ajit Karn
Today, the results of assembly elections in Tripura, Meghalaya, and Nagaland will be announced, signifying the first round of elections in a crucial election year.
Meghalaya and Nagaland conducted their assembly elections on February 27, while Tripura voted on February 16. High voter turnout was recorded in all three states. The BJP, which has supplanted the Congress as the dominant party in the northeast, is optimistic about its chances in the three states.
In addition to these three states, the results of by-elections conducted in Erode (East) in Tamil Nadu, Sagardighi in West Bengal, and Ramgarh in Jharkhand on February 27 will also be announced. Maharashtra held elections on February 26 for Kasba Peth and Chinchwad.
In addition to the assembly elections, the by-elections have attracted considerable attention due to the struggle for dominance between two Shiv Sena factions. Even though the faction led by Uddhav Thackeray is not running in the byelections, it has cast its support behind the Maha Vikas Agadhi candidates. The byelections are the first since the Election Commission acknowledged the faction commanded by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde as the legitimate Shiv Sena and assigned it the party’s name and symbol.
The byelection for the Tamil Nadu assembly seat of Erode East is significant for both the governing DMK and the opposition AIADMK.
Exit polls predicted a decisive victory for the NDPP-BJP alliance in Nagaland, a decisive victory for the BJP in Tripura, and a tie in Meghalaya.
The voter turnout in Tripura was 87.76%, while in Nagaland and Meghalaya it was 85.90% and 85.27%, respectively.
Tuesday evening, Conrad Sangma, chief minister of Meghayala and leader of the National People’s Party, met with Himanat Biswa Sarma, chief minister of Assam. The parties were coalition partners, but they contested separately in the assembly elections.
Rituraj Sinha, a representative of the BJP, expressed confidence in the party’s performance in the three states of the northeast.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi was viewed favourably in the North-East by the populace. These jurisdictions will elect our federal government. Our vote percentage will rise, “Sinha said on Tuesday.
In the 2018 elections in Tripura, the BJP set a new record by displacing the Left parties from their stronghold, and the party expects to continue its winning streak. In this election, the Left parties and the Congress worked together to give the BJP a difficult time. Tipra Motha, a regional party led by Pradyot Debbarma, a former member of Tripura’s royal family, is also anticipated to make its presence known.
In the previous assembly elections, the BJP partnered with the Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT). On February 27, the BJP ran for 55 of Tripura’s 60 seats in the state assembly. The Left Front ran candidates for 47 seats and the Congress for 13. Tipra Motha competed for 42 seats, while Trinamool Congress fielded candidates for 28.
Chief Minister Manik Saha ran for office in the Town Bardowali constituency, while Union Minister Pratima Bhowmik ran for office in the Dhanpur constituency as a BJP candidate.
In their speeches, BJP leaders discussed the accelerating development in the frontier state and the efforts of the “double-engine” government over the past five years. Greater Tipraland’s demand has increased due to Tipra Motha.
60 assembly constituencies in Tripura will have their ballots counted in 21 different locations across the state.
59 of the 60 assembly seats in Meghalaya were up for election. HDR Lyngngah, the former Home Minister and United Democratic Party (UDP) candidate for the Sohiong Assembly constituency, passed away. As a result, the election for the Sohiong Assembly constituency was postponed.
The National People’s Party (NPP) is the leader of the governing coalition, which also comprises the BJP. However, each party has independently contested the election. Trinamool Congress and regional parties such as the United Democratic Party and the People’s Democratic Front have also attempted to put up a vigorous struggle, and a split verdict could offer up a variety of opportunities in the state.
The BJP and the Congress competed for 59 seats, while the NPP fielded candidates in 56 constituencies. Meghalaya is significant to the pan-Indian aspirations of Trinamool Congress, which contested 57 seats in the state.
Conrad K. Sangma ran for the South Tura seat, whereas Trinamool Congress leader Mukul Sangma is vying for Songsak and Tikrikilla.
In the 60-member Assembly of Nagaland, the governing Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) contested 40 seats while its ally, the BJP, contested 20 seats. BJP won unopposed the Akuluto constituency.
In the province, the Congress contested 23 seats. Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio leads the NDPP-BJP alliance within the state.
Kuzholuzo Nienu, the leader of the Naga People’s Front (NPF), has stated that the party is amenable to post-election agreements. Remarkably, Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) has fielded 16 candidates.
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The Election Commission has made adequate preparations for the vote count.
While elections have already been conducted in Nagaland, Tripura, and Meghalaya, six additional states will hold assembly elections before the 2024 Lok Sabha election.
The results of the elections in three northeastern states are likely to impact the chances of national parties in upcoming state elections. The BJP expects the outcome to give it momentum for upcoming electoral contests.
