Vote counting begins in Tripura, Meghalaya, Nagaland: BJP confident about retaining power, check 10 big developments

Votes are set to be counted and results will be out on Thursday for Assembly polls in Tripura, Meghalaya, and Nagaland with the keenly-fought battle in the three northeastern states marking the first round of polls in an electorally-crucial year.

Meghalaya and Nagaland went for assembly polls on February 27 and voting was held in Tripura on February 16. The three states witnessed high voter turnout. The BJP, which has replaced Congress as the dominant party in the northeast, is optimistic about its prospects in the three states.

READ | LIVE Updates | Nagaland, Tripura, Meghalaya election counting has begun

Here are the top 10 developments you should know. 

The exit polls have predicted a clear victory of the NDPP-BJP alliance in Nagaland, a clear edge to the BJP in Tripura, and a hung verdict in Meghalaya.

Assam Chief Minister and the BJP's chief strategist in the northeast Himanta Biswa Sarma has said that "Tripura will have a BJP CM, Nagaland will have a coalition government while that of Meghalaya will be decided as per seats won by the BJP." 

Meghalaya Chief Minister and National People's Party leader Conrad Sangma met Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday night. The parties were partners in the ruling coalition but fought the assembly polls separately after a five-year alliance.

BJP leader Rituraj Sinha expressed confidence in BJP's performance in the three northeastern states. "People in North-East saw good work done by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Our government will be elected in these states. Our vote share will increase," he said. 

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The BJP had created a record in Tripura in the 2018 election, ousting Left parties from their stronghold and hopes to continue its winning run. Left parties and Congress joined hands in this election to give a tough fight to BJP. The BJP has allied with IPFT (Indigenous People's Front of Tripura), its partner in the previous assembly polls. The BJP contested 55 seats of the 60-member assembly in Tripura in February 27 election.

The CPM, which ruled Tripura for 35 years, has joined hands with the Congress in a last-ditch effort to regain its numbers. 

Meghalaya holds significance for the pan-India ambitions of the Trinamool Congress and the party contested 57 seats.

Apart from the three states, results will also be declared in the bypolls for Erode (East) seat in Tamil Nadu, Sagardighi in West Bengal, and Ramgarh in Jharkhand where polling was held on February 27. Polling for Kasba Peth and Chinchwad in Maharashtra was held on February 26.

Apart from the assembly polls, the bypolls have also evoked wide interest due to the battle for supremacy between two factions of Shiv Sena. Though the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction is not contesting the bypolls, it has thrown its weight behind the Maha Vikas Agadhi candidates. 

The bypolls are the first since the Election Commission recognised the faction led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde as the real Shiv Sena and allotted it the party name and symbol.