TRIPURA: The counting of ballots for the assembly elections in Tripura, Meghalaya, and Nagaland started on March 2 after months of heated campaigning. 

After taking control of the Leftist stronghold in 2018, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) hoped to establish stronger roots in Tripura, where their victory was expected by the majority of exit polls.

The following are the main aspects of the 2023 assembly elections in the northeastern states:

In Nagaland, the BJP-NDPP alliance has surged ahead, while in Meghalaya, Conrad Sangma-led NPP is in the lead.  In Nagaland, the exit poll predicted a comfortable win for the BJP and its partner NDPP. 
voter turnout was high in Meghalaya. Although the voter turnout in Tripura was 87.76%, it was 85.90% in Nagaland, and it was 85.27% in Meghalaya.

Tripura is a state that promises to have more national resonance than the other two because traditional foes Congress and the Left have united to oppose the BJP in its 60-member assembly.

The counting of votes for Tripura, Meghalaya, and Nagaland commenced at 8 am. Postal ballots will be reckoned first, followed by EVMs. The results will be updated on the official website of the election panel.

In Tripura, the Pradyot Debbarma-led TIPRA Motha has become the X-factor in the conflict between the national parties. The influence of its founder, a descendant of former nobility, on a sizable portion of the tribal community has upset traditional calculations. This is important since the BJP and Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura (IPFT), an ally, performed well in the tribal area in 2018.

As per the exit polls, the most closely fought battle has been in Meghalaya,  where they forecast a hung parliament with the ruling NPP potentially winning 20 seats. This time, the BJP may extend its representation from two to six seats. Trinamool Congress, led by Mamata Banerjee, may win up to 11 seats.

Nagaland Polling: Over 17% voter turnout recorded till 9 am

Meghalaya and Nagaland Election 2023 Polling today

Tripura Election Trends: PM appeals to ‘vote in record numbers’