Glancing at the fast-changing trends in elections, political leaders are probably smiling nervously. The Tripura assembly poll results are vital for the BJP, which is looking fully confident after dismantling the Left Front’s 25-year-long bastion. The exit poll projections have been proved correct, with the BJP thundering with electoral power in that north-eastern state for the first time.
The CPM has now accepted its defeat, with their share of seats coming down to 16. Side by side, it must now also prostrate itself before the extreme right. The Chief Minister may have been honest, but the corrupt administration spoiled everything for themselves. The BJP’s good fortune (43 seats) compelled the CPM to ponder over saffron votes reaching 45% from merely one or two percent once upon a time. Other political parties have nothing much to show.
A remarkable percentage of polling was registered in the Tripura elections, where surprising results were expected in as many as 59 assembly constituencies. In Nagaland, the BJP secured 27 seats. Meghalaya was a victory for the Congress, where it won 21 seats.
A total of 292 candidates tried their luck this election. Besides a total of 23 women aspirants, many an independent was in the race. The CPM fielded a total of 56 candidates and provided a seat each to its trusted allies, such as CPI, Forward Bloc and RSP.
The support of tribal outfits has done wonders for the BJP in Tripura. The confident Bhartiya Janata Party contested on a total of 50 assembly seats, leaving 9 seats to the local party, Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura. The uncertain Congress party fielded candidates on as many as 58 seats but to no avail. The Trinamool Congress contested on 24 seats.
The upshot is that the BJP has forged a pre-poll alliance with the tribal outfit Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura. Tripura’s 2536589 voters cast their votes amid large-scale snags in EVMs and the Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail.
What vision led the Congress to go to poll all alone in that state? Being in the opposition, it did not understand the mood of the people. However, it has sent three observers to Meghalaya in order to control any potentially unpleasant situation.
The Tripura election was crucial for the Left, as this was its second last stronghold in the country. The Manik Sarkar government faced a sort of referendum this election, as his party had been ruling continuously since 1993. The ‘Chalo Paltai’ slogan has successfully dimmed the glow of Manik Sarkar.