The Left has swept Tripura, fifth time in a row, while the voters in Nagaland and Meghalaya have voted for the ruling formations.
The assembly election results declared on Thursday were virtually a repeat of 2008 albeit Nagaland where the Naga People’s Front, major constituent of ruling Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN), managed to better its last time’s performance.
The verdict has strengthened the Left in its last post Tripura, jolted the Congress in Nagaland and frustrated PA Sangma in Meghalaya.
The CPI (M)-led Left Front in Tripura improved upon its 2008 tally of 49 seats by one. The victory enabled the Left to form its fifth government on the trot, fourth under chief minister Manik Sarkar.
Opposition Congress, which clamoured for a change, managed to hold on to its 2008 tally of 10 seats.
The poll outcome in Nagaland has surprised many where the ruling coalition did a hat-trick in power. The NPF won 38 seats in Nagaland to improve upon its 2008 tally of 26 seats by 12.
The verdict has established chief minister Neiphiu Rio’s political acumen. This is the first time that NPF stands to form the government on its own. The party was backed by allies in the previous two terms.
Opposition Congress, which ruled the state for most part, had roped in former chief minister SC Jamir for campaigning but that could not upset the DAN apple cart. The party, which managed to win just eight seats, has been literally decimated. In the 2008 elections, Congress had won 24 seats.
It was a split verdict in Meghalaya which is known for its political instability. The Congress, led by chief minister Mukul Sangma, missed the simple majority mark of 31 in a house of 60 by two seats.
The party had bagged 25 seats in the 2008 polls and led the coalition government with two regional allies. The verdict also suggests that it could well be all over for former Lok Sabha speaker PA Sangma. His National People’s Party, which contested 32 seats, won just 2. His two sons contested and one of them Conrad Sangma lost.
@prasmaz
