Northeast states counting underway
Agartala, Feb 28 : With the counting of votes underway in full swing, the three northeastern states of Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura are awaiting new governments on Thursday with Tripura among them heading for a fifth term for the Left Front under the chief ministership of Manik Sarkar.
The counting of votes of the Assembly Elections in all the three states began at 8 AM on Thursday, reports said.
As per indications, Left Front is heading for a victory in Tripura with the ruling group leading in 43 of the 60 seats. Congress is leading in only seven. In Tripura, the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) led Left Front is in direct contest with the Congress. The Left has been ruling in Tripura for 20 years at a row and Sarkar has led the party for three of those four terms.
The onus of responsibility in Meghalaya rests with the Congress's Mukul Sangma to take on his opposition PA Sangma, who had quit Sharad Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party last year to form the National People's Party.
Latest reports said the ruling Congress-UDP coalition is ahead in 26 of the 60 seats in Meghalaya. Congress was leading in 22 seats and UDP in four.
In Nagaland, Neiphiu Rio of the ruling Naga People's Front or NPF is contesting against the Congress, where the main election issue is the integration of Naga dominated regions.
Reports said the NPF is leading in 15 seats in the 60-member assembly. Congress was leading in four.
Counting is also on for West Bengal bypolls held in three West Bengal seats- Rezinagar (Murshidabad), Englishbazar (Malda) and Nalhati in Birbhum district.
Latest reports said while Trinamool Congress is leading in Englishbazar, the Congress is ahead in Rezinagar.