Poll results: BJP dethrones Manik 'Sarkar', gains in Nagaland

Agartala/Kohima/Shillong: The Bharatiya Janata Party and ally the Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT) have surged ahead of the Left Front in Tripura ending former chief minister Manik Sarkar’s two-decade rule in the state.

Hailing the BJP victory in Tripura, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the historic victory in Tripura is as much an ideological one.

"It's a win for democracy over brute force and intimidation. Today peace and non-violence has prevailed over fear. We will provide Tripura the good government that the state deserves," Modi tweeted.

In Nagaland, the BJP along with its new partner Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) are also ahead and look set to form the government.

The ruling Congress manages to be marginally ahead in Meghalaya but it looks that the verdict will be hung. The BJP might just come up with the permutations and combinations required to stake claim to government.

The counting to call elections in these three states began at 8 am today.

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01:28 pm: The BJP is now leading in 41 seats in Tripura even as the Left is ahead in 18 seats. In Meghalaya, the Congress has a lead in 22 seats, followed by the NPP in 16 and the BJP in eight seats. Candidates of other parties are leading in 17 seats. In Nagaland, the NDPP-BJP alliance is leading in 31 seats, while the NPF coalition is lead in 24 seats.

12:25 pm: The BJP-NDPP alliance has fallen one seat short of equalling with the NPF, which is leading in 19 seats; the others are leading in six seats in Nagaland. 

Talking on the possibility of a post-poll alliance, BJP Meghalaya incharge Nalin Kohli said, "In Meghalaya, the vote is basically against the Congress if you see the performance of other parties. Leaders will discuss if there can be possibility of a post poll alliance".

11:45 am: The BJP-NDPP alliance ahead in 17 seats, the NPF in 15 and others leading in two in Nagaland.

"Huge vindication for consistent development that has been seen in North East in last 4 yrs which did not happen in last 7 decades. People have reasons to believe that this is the  dispensation that they can look forward to trust for future growth," says Union Minister Jitendra Singh.

11:30 am: NDPP’s Neikesalie Kire wins Kohima Town in Nagaland, BJP’s K Sangtam wins Seyochung Sitimi seat. BJP-NDPP alliance now have three confirmed wins in Nagaland.

11:26 am: ​Official trends show the BJP-IPFT alliance is ahead in 37 seats and CPI(M) in 17 in Tripura.

11:24 am: According to official results, incumbent Meghalaya CM Mukul Sangma wins both seats contested by him -- Ampati and Songsak.

11:23 am: The NPF and the BJP-NDPP alliance are neck-and-neck in Nagaland leading in 15 seats each, while others are leading in three.

11:22 am: In Agartala, BJP’s Sudip Roy Barman is leading by 2,715 votes. Biplab Deb from Banamalipur is also ahead by over 5000 votes.

11:18 am: Official trends now available for 57 seats in Meghalaya. The Congress is ahead in 21, BJP in five in 11, NPP in fourteen and others are leading in seventeen seats.

10:47 am: Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar leading from Dhanpur constituency by 1682 votes. 

10:36 am: Official trends now available for 44 seats in Tripura. The BJP-IPFT alliance is ahead in 28 and CPI(M) in 16.

10:35 am: The NPF is ahead in 11 seats, BJP-NDPP alliance in nine, and others are leading in four in Nagaland.

10:25 am: Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Kiren Rijiju expressed confidence in BJP of forming the government in all the three states.  

"The trends in all three states point to a new political direction, it will have an effect on national politics as well. We are confident of forming Govt in all three," says Rijiju.

"Trends are encouraging, I am hopeful and confident that BJP will form the Govt in Tripura," says BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma.

10:12 am: Official trends now available for 29 seats in Tripura. The BJP-IPFT alliance is ahead in 16 and CPI(M) in 13.

10:00 am: Official trends now available for 24 seats in Nagaland. The BJP-NDPP alliance is ahead in ten, NPF in nine, Congress in one and others are leading in four.

9:53 am: Official trends now available for 26 seats in Meghalaya. The BJP is ahead in two, Congress in 11, NPP in four and others are leading in nine seats.

"Seeing the earlier trends, I feel that in Tripura BJP is going to do very well In Nagaland too, our alliance is doing very well and Congress is trailing in Meghalaya. The three results of North East are going to be very good for BJP," says BJP National General Secretary, Ram Madhav.

9:39 am: The NPF is leading in 30 seats whereas the BJP-NDPP alliance is leading in 22 seats in Nagaland.

9:25 am: Meghalaya CM Mukul Sanga of the Congress leading from both the seats -- Ampati and Songsak -- he is contesting.

9:21 am: The ruling Naga People’s Front leading in nine seats and BJP-NDPP alliance in 13 seats in Nagaland.

9:13 am: Early trends show the Left and the BJP neck-and-neck in Tripura, with the CPI(M) leading in 25 seats and the BJP leading in 24 seats. Tripura CM Manik Sarkar is leading from his seat in Dhanpur, according to TV reports. In Nagaland, the NDPP-BJP alliance is leading in 11 seats. In Meghlaya, the ruling Congress is leading in 11 seats.

8:04 am: Curfew imposed in Zunheboto and Wokha districts of Nagaland ahead of counting. One person was killed and three injured in a blast and clashes on the voting day in February 2.

The counting of votes for the Assembly elections in three Northeastern states -- Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura -- began at 8 am on Saturday amid tight security, Election Commission officials said.

While the Congress has been ruling Meghalaya for 10 years, the Naga People's Front (NFP) has been in power in Nagaland since 2003, except for a three-month period of President's rule in 2008.

Buoyed by the formation of governments in Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh, the BJP is making a bid to expand its footprints in the region.

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

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

In Nagaland, the BJP has joined hands with the NDPP that was floated by former chief minister Neiphiu Rio. The NDPP is contesting on 40 seats and the saffron party on 20.

The Congress, which has given three chief ministers to Nagaland since the state's inception in 1963, is contesting only in 18 seats, two less than the BJP.

Votes would be counted in presence of the candidates and agents under the supervision of the respective district returning officers and assistant returning officers, state Additional CEO N Moa Aier said.