Battle for Three Northeastern States Begins Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura Vote

The 2023 election season begins with the battle for three northeastern states, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura. The BJP is hoping for a winning start while the opposition is aiming to bring the party down, or at least weaken it, before the bigger states vote later this year and before the next year’s Lok Sabha polls. Polling was high – 86 per cent in Nagaland, 87 per cent in Tripura and 78 per cent in Meghalaya. Meghalaya saw a hung assembly in the last election, with the Congress winning 21 seats and the NPP forming a coalition with the BJP, UDP and others to form the government. In Nagaland, the Naga People’s Front won 26 seats with the BJP and NDPP forming an alliance. Tripura saw an easy win for the BJP-led alliance in 2018, and the party is expected to be the major factor in this election as well. Exit polls give the BJP-NDPP alliance a big win in Nagaland, while in Meghalaya, the NPP is expected to get 26 seats and the BJP 11. The Congress is not expected to play a major role here. In Tripura, the BJP-led alliance is expected to win between 21 and 45 seats, while the Congress and Left Front may also play a crucial role.