New Delhi: The BJP is likely to expand its influence in the northeast, winning the states of Tripura and Nagaland, and getting a larger share of the seats in Meghalaya after the latest round of assembly elections, exit polls have predicted.
An aggregate of exit polls shows the BJP’s alliange will come to power in Nagaland with ally NDPP (Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party), and win at least seven seats in Meghalaya.
Exit polls also show that the Congress could be heading for a setback in the northeast, winning only one seat in Nagaland and six in Meghalaya, where it was the single largest party the last time.
In Meghalaya, polling was held at 3,419 polling stations across 59 Assembly constituencies, while in Nagaland voting was held in 59 out of 60 Assembly constituencies.
The counting of votes in Nagaland and Meghalaya along with that in Tripura, which went to the polls on February 16, will be taken up on March 2.
Meghalaya recorded a voting percentage of over 76 per cent and Nagaland saw a voter turnout of over 84 per cent in the polling for assembly elections in the two northeastern states on Monday.
Of the 60 Assembly constituencies in Meghalaya, 36 constituencies are in Khasi, Jaintia Hills region while 24 are in Garo Hills region.
Polling for the Sohiong Assembly constituency was postponed following the demise of the state’s former Home Minister and United Democratic Party (UDP) candidate HDR Lyngdoh.
Over 2.1 million voters were eligible to cast votes including 1.09 million women and 1.06 million male voters.
In Nagaland, the voter turnout was 75.49 per cent till 3 pm. The electoral fate of 183 candidates has been sealed with the conclusion of the election for 59 seats.
The state saw brisk polling with voter 60.51 per cent voter turnout till 1 pm and 38.68 per cent till 11 am.
The BJP contested the polls in alliance with the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP), its partner in the 2018 Assembly polls as well.
A total of 13,17,632 voters were eligible to cast their vote in the state in 2,351 polling stations.
