Guwahati: The BJP looks set to return to power with an overwhelming majority, India Today-Axis My India exit poll has predicted.
The poll gave between 36-45 seats to the BJP, about 6-11 to the Left-Congress combine and about 9-16 to the TIPRA Motha. As per these numbers, the TIPRA Motha is unlikely to play a kingmaker’s role as predicted by several people.
Tripura is witnessing the BJP, which has been in power since 2018, take on a rejuvenated Congress under the leadership of Sudip Roy Barman, and the CPIM, which lost to the BJP after being in power for 25 years. The emergence of TIPRA Motha under the leadership of royal scion Pradyot Manikya has ensured that the Tripura election has become a triangular with the indigenous region having one of the strongest voices in recent times.
The state, which witnessed several bouts of violence in the run-up to elections, reported over 85% voting on February 16, with over 200 candidates in the fray across 60 constituencies. Of these, 20 are in the tribal belt while the rest are in Bengali-majority areas.
The state was under the leadership of Biplab Deb but with less than a year to go for elections, he resigned from his position and made may for Dr Manika Saha, a former Congress leader. Before elections, the BJP also witnessed several leaders leaving the party, but the party nevertheless has expressed confidence in winning elections in Tripura.
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