ECI Trends: TMP A Factor In Tripura, BJP+ In Power In Nagaland, NPP Single-Largest Party Away From Majority

Election Results 2023: While the BJP is headed for a clear mandate in Tripura and Nagaland, the saffron party needs an alliance with the NPP in Meghalaya to return to power.

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma (R), Tripura CM Manik Shah (C), and Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio (L)

Source : PTI

Assembly Election 2023: The Bharatiya Janata Party appears to have secured the northeast fort as the party is winning a comfortable majority in Tripura and Nagaland, while in Meghalaya, it will need to return to its alliance with the National People's Party (NPP) to be able to have a share in the next government.

Tripura Election 2023

A triangular electoral battle ensued between the BJP-IPFT alliance, the Left Front-Congress alliance, and Pradoyt Kishore Manikya Debbarma-led regional party Tipra Motha in Tripura.

After briefly trailing the majority mark of 31, the BJP-IPFT alliance is leading on 32 seats, Tipra Motha ahead in 11 seats, while the Left Front-Congress alliance (leading in 15 seats) has witnessed a major setback as the new party floated by Pradoyt Kishore Manikya Debbarma, the scion of the erstwhile royal family, has been able to make substantial inroads into the Tribal vote in its maiden election.

Despite several attempts at outreach, neither the ruling BJP nor the opposition CPI(M) could ally with the Tipra Motha ahead of the assembly polls. However, now the Tipra Motha appears open to aligning with the BJP+ in return for assurances on demands pertaining to the tribal community.

Notably, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Shah won Town Bardowali by more than 1300 votes.

Meghalaya Election 2023

The ruling NPP here looks to retain power after parting ways with the BJP, which upped the ante against Chief Minister Conrad Sangma levelling charges of corruption. Trinamool Congress, Congress, and other regional parties hoped to bring about a change in the government.

So far, NPP's Sniawbhalang Dhar has won his Nartiang seat by 2,123 votes, defeating Congress candidate Emlang Laloo.

As per the Election Commission of India, CM Conrad Sangma-led NPP is currently leading on 23 seats, while the BJP, Congress, and TMC are tied up at five seats each.

An NPP-BJP post-poll alliance again can help them secure power again, even though both parties hit out at each other with hopes to secure power on their own.

However, a meeting between Conrad Sangma and Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma at midnight amid exit polls forecast of a hung assembly may have cleared out the path for a post-poll arrangement.

Nagaland Election 2023

The ruling Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP)-BJP alliance won two seats and is leading in 30 seats in the Nagaland Assembly election, as per the ECI.

BJP nominee Kazheto Kinimi won Akuluto seat uncontested while its candidate P Bashangmongba Chang won the Tuensang Sadar-I seat by defeating his nearest NCP rival Toyan Chang by 5,644 votes.

The NDPP was ahead in 25 seats while its alliance partner the BJP was leading in 11 seats, as per the ECI website. The NDPP and BJP fought the election on a 40:20 seat-sharing agreement.

Notably, Nagaland is creating history by electing women representatives in the state assembly for the first time. NDPP's Hekhani Jakhalu won in Dimapur-III while the party's Salhoutuonuo Kruse is leading in Western Angami.