We accept verdict of the people. We will keep fighting for the issues of people of Meghalaya. It's easy to stake claim, since there is a fractured mandate. It is easy to form government but difficult to govern. We will play a constructive role in whatever position we will be in: Congress working president in Meghalaya, V Pala

CLICK TO READ | After Left's Crushing Tripura Defeat, Yechury vs Karat Debate on Alliances to Heat Up

We don't have pre-poll alliance with anybody. Right from the time of campaigning we knew that BJP, NPP & UDP were together and it has been proved now. Mandate was actually given to Congress: Congress working president in Meghalaya, Vincent Pala.


Himanta Biswa Sarma: Currently, we have 34 members, NPP -19, BJP-2, UDP-6, HSPDP-2, PDF-4 & 1-independent. Number likely to go up. Rahul Gandhi sent four senior leaders of the party to Shillong without any calculations on government formation. I don't see maturity in him.

Himanta Biswa Sarma says that NPP’s Conrad Sangma will be the next chief minister of Meghalaya and no Deputy CM will be appointed in the new government just to please the alliance partners. Talking about the likely cabinet in the state, Sarma says that one MLA out of every two MLAs of all the parties will form part of the government. “So 1 MLA out of the 2 BJP MLAs will be a part of it too,” he says. Minister of state for home Kiren Rijiju also weighed in and said that it is a positive sign that regional parties got together to work for the region. It's people's decisions and we need to respect that, he added.

Newly elected MLAs of the BJP and its ally IPFT in Tripura will meet on March 6 to elect their leader, state BJP president Biplab Deb said today. The BJP has 35 MLAs and the Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT) has eight. Union minister Nitin Gadkari will be present at the meeting, Deb said. He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and many other Union ministers are likely to attend the oath-taking ceremony.

The Congress needed nine seats and had approached the United Democratic Party, which has six and was playing kingmaker, but failed to sway it. UDP president Donkupar Roy told reporters that Mukul Sangma met him and offered him the chief minister's post on a two-and-a-half years sharing basis between his party and the Congress. "We have rejected this proposal and decided to form a non-Congress government instead," he said.

For the Congress, this is yet another setback in the Northeast. The party’s performance in Meghalaya had saved it the blushes after it failed to open the account in Tripura and Nagaland, but the failure to stitch any alliance and form the government despite being the single largest party has again exposed how far it lags behind the BJP. Earlier, the Congress had failed to form the governments in Manipur and Goa from the same position. Advertisement

The next 2-3 days are very crucial because Assembly term gets over. The House expires on March 7 and before that everything has to take place. By tomorrow, everything will be clear: Conrad Sangma tells reporters.

An NPP-led alliance is all set to form the next government in Meghalaya. NPP chief Conrad Sangma met the Governor and staked claim with the support of 34 MLAs. The swearing in ceremony is likely to take place at 10.30 am on March 6.

The NDA numbers as the MLAs go inside the Governor’s House in Meghalaya: NPP (19) + UDP (6) + PDF (4) + BJP (2) + HSPDP (2) + Independent (1) = 34. The halfway mark in the state assembly is 30, so the five part-alliance is well clear of the mark.

Uttar Pradesh Minister Laxmi Narain Chaudhary today attributed the BJP's victory in the northeast to the faith of the people on the prime minister's leadership and commitment to the welfare of the nation. "The election results have put a stamp on the fact that Modi is the symbol of national integration," Chaudhary said reacting to the recent elections in the northeast states.

MLAs from NPP led by Conrad Sangma and MLAs from UDP, BJP and NHPDP begin to arrive at the Governor House in Shilliong, Meghalaya. Meanwhile, Congress has also submitted a letter to Meghalaya Governor stating that Congress has named Mukul Sangma as the leader of the Meghalaya Congress Legislature Party.

Election is a separate issue. Our demand has been there for years to create separate state for tribal people of Tripura. We're hopeful central government will form high level monitoring committee to look into our demand: NC Debbarma, Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT) President.

Terming the BJP's win in the Assembly polls in Tripura as “historical”, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said it had broken a myth that the BJP only captured power in Congress-ruled states. "When the BJP lost the elections in Delhi and Bihar, a notion gained currency that the BJP can't prevail over other parties, apart from the Congress, in state elections. This myth stands shattered with the outcome of Tripura," he told reporters while commenting on the poll results of the three northeast states. "BJP has soundly defeated the Left Front government led by Manik Sarkar which has ruled Tripura for the last 25 years. We got a historical mandate in Tripura. We have bagged a majority on our own, and along with our allies, we have won a two-third majority. In Nagaland too, the BJP's performance is good," Chouhan said.

NDPP leader and three-time Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio has staked a claim to form the government, saying that he has the support of 32 MLAs in the 60-member Assembly. Earlier, BJP general secretary Ram Madhav said the pre-poll allies have got a "near simple majority" in the assembly. "We are in a comfortable position to form the next government. The NDPP-BJP alliance has secured near simple majority in Nagaland. We have the support of one independent and one JD(U) MLAs which takes us to 32 seats," Madhav told reporters in Kohima.

CLICK TO READ | PM Narendra Modi Addresses Karnataka Youth Via Video Conference, Hails NE Results

The West Bengal BJP today said the party will effect a change in Bengal, much like it did in Tripura, where it scripted history by ending 25 years of uninterrupted rule of the CPI(M)-led Left Front. "When some BJP supporters were killed in Tripura, people changed the mandate in that state. In Bengal, many more of our supporters have been killed and injured, and their properties destroyed. BJP will bring a similar change in this state," West Bengal BJP chief Dilip Ghosh said a press conference. Ghosh said "nepotism, corruption and political violence" is rampant in the state, and there is no place for violence in politics.

The name of Congrad’s sister Agatha Sangma has also come up for the chief minister’s post. She had won the assembly election from the prestigious South Tura seat on Saturday. When Conrad was asked if Meghalaya would get its first woman chief minister in Agatha Sangma, Conrad remained cryptic and said more would be revealed around 5pm after the NDA delegation meets the Governor. The total strength of the five party alliance that BJP has stitched is 34.

Donkupar Roy of the UDP has said the party is ready to support NPP in Meghalaya if Conrad Sangma is made the Chief Minister. "We feel he is the most acceptable as a leader and can do the job well," Roy said. The United Democratic Party won six seats in Meghalaya assembly elections and could get to decide who forms the next government in the state.

The ruling CPI(M) in Kerala said today that the party's defeat in the assembly election in Tripura should be viewed with utmost seriousness. Veteran party leader and former chief minister V S Achutanandan urged the party leadership to join hands with secular forces to fight the Sangh Parivar. "The country is facing serious challenges. The Congress, which had ruled for decades in the post-independence period, has become weaker now," the 94-year-old Marxist veteran said in a statement. The Left parties, which ruled West Bengal and Tripura, were also "weak," Achutanandan, who supported the party General Secretary Sitaram Yechury's line of having an understanding with Congress to fight the BJP, said.

In the 60-member assembly, the Congress, which had been in power, bagged 21 seats, the NPP, led by Conrad Sangma, son of late PA Sangma, got 19 seats, the BJP got two seats, the United Democratic Party bagged six seats, the Peoples Democratic Front bagged four seats, the Hill State Peoples Democratic Party got two seats, the NCP and the Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement got one each and Independents bagged three seats. The combined seats of NPP, UDP, BJP, HSPDP and one of an Independent candidate makes it to 30 seats. They are still in talks with eight, including PDF that had bagged four seats. The house is of 59 seats this time. So, 30 is the half way mark. Confirming the lastest development, BJP minister Hemanta Biswa Sarma said, "We will meet the Governor at 5 pm with 30 seats. We are also in talks with PDF, and the number is likely to go up."

Conrad Sangma will be the next chief minister of Meghalaya, says sources. As the results for the February 27 elections led to a hung house for the 60-member Meghalaya assembly, NPP president Conrad Sangma had said his party would be able to form the next government with the help of other like-minded parties. “We are hopeful that we will be able to form the government. People are fed up with the corrupt Congress government and looking for a change,” he said. Sangma is the son of veteran leader late PA Sangma.

"Meghalaya will form a Non-Congress Government with Regional Development Alliance (RDA). NPP will lead with the support of UDP, PDF, HSPDP and BJP," said UDP general secretary Jemino Mawthoh. The NPP won 19 seats, while the UDP-HSPDP pre-poll alliance won only eight. The newly floated PDF has won four seats, while the Nationalist Congress Party and Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement secured one seat each. With 21 seats, the ruling Congress is ten short of the 31 seats needed to retain power in the 60-member house. However, the BJP has been trying its best to stitch an alliance with regional parties to form a non-Congress government in the state.

MoS Home Kiren Rijiju meets UDP chief Dr Donkupar Roy at his residence in Shillong. When Rijiju was asked about the latest development, he said, "You will come to know soon about the parties. BJP is determined to give a Congress-free government in the state." On the other hand, incumbent Meghalaya CM Mukul Sangma said that everything will be cleared in some time. "It's a fractured mandate. Let's see how they (BJP) would like to form government with just two seats." Meanwhile, KJ Alphons told CNN-News18 that BJP has extended support to National People's Party (NPP). "We want a non-Congress government," he said.

The BJP and its pre-poll ally in Nagaland, the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP), on Sunday exuded confidence that they would be able to form a stable government in the state as the numbers were on their side. BJP general secretary Ram Madhav said the pre-poll allies have got a "near simple majority" in the 60-member assembly while NDPP leader and three-time chief minister Neiphiu Rio said he was confident that their alliance will form the next government in Nagaland. "We are in a comfortable position to form the next government. The NDPP-BJP alliance has secured near simple majority in Nagaland. We have the support of one independent and one JD(U) MLAs which takes us to 32 seats," Madhav told reporters in Kohima. The BJP leader said the NDPP-BJP alliance will stake claim to form the government in next few days. Rio said the alliance is in a comfortable position to form the government.

Trinamool Congress MP Derek O' Brien tells CNN-News18 that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will deliver his last speech as the PM from Red Fort on August 15 this year. "He will not be able to deliver his speech on Independence Day next year. Tripura is a very small state. It is not even equal to West Bengal's districts. How can they call it a big win?" West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee had also said on Saturday that the saffron party will never win West Bengal and Odisha, and dubbed it as "a cockroach dreaming of becoming a peacock by putting on its feathers".

Pynthorumkhrah MLA AL Hek declared the Leader of BJP Legislature Party in Meghalaya Legislative Assembly.



UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday credited the BJP's "historic" performance in north eastern states to "development-oriented" policies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and "organisational skills" of Amit Shah and said the day is not far when one party will be in power right from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. The chief minister was addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters here after the party's good show in assembly polls in Tripura, Nagaland and Meghalaya. "The BJP's sterling performance in northeast will go a long way in fulfilling development aspirations of people," he said. Adityanath said for the first time after Independence, these northeastern states will get chance to join the national mainstream and enjoy fruits of development.

We're extremely happy. We contested on 20 seats and have won 11 seats. CPI used goondaism & got rejected by people, we have only used democratic methods to contest this election. Congress is not relevant in Tripura & Nagaland: Ram Madhav, BJP, on North East election results.

PM Modi says that BJP workers must remain vigilant and must now allow the Congress culture to seep in the party ranks. He ends his address by saying that the party would do everything to bring development to northeastern states. BJP’s parliamentary board will now meet in the Capital to decide on the observers that will be sent to Tripura and decide on the CM.

PM Modi: Congress party ka kad itna chhota pehle kabhi nahi hua hoga jitna aaj hua hai (The stature of Congress has never gotten as low as it did today).

PM Modi: Be it Kerala, Bengal or Karnataka, the way two dozen workers were murdered there, when they can't fight to the face they stooped down to this. Still we maintained silence. When we take action they cry 'vendetta'. This isn't vendetta but a step for the betterment of nation.

Opposition always says this is vendetta. This is not vendetta, this is mandate. A victory through democracy is our answer to the opposition. Citizens will always rally behind politics of performance. BJP has risen in every corner of the country due to hard work of party workers. Never in history was Congress reduced to so few states.

PM Modi: The people of north east used to feel that New Delhi is too far away for them. But we created a situation that now New Delhi itself has gone to the doorstep of north east. We sent more ministers to north east in the last 4 years than any other government since independence. Every 15 days, we would send a minister there to spend at least 24 hours so that we can understand their aspirations and there problems.

PM Modi: This victory has been achieved with limited resources. Tripura election team is the youngest team. We have a young team here and they have done wonders. There was no celebrity used in this elections.

PM Modi: Election analysts in India will have to understand BJP’s journey from no one to number one, shunya se shikhar tak (from zilch to zenith). When the sun sets it is red in color and when it rises it is saffron.

PM Modi: In vastu also, the north east position is very important. According to vastu shastra, north east is the most auspicious side. I am happy that north east is now a part of the vikas yatra. With the north east now taken care of, the foundation for the rest of the country has automatically become solid.

Even in remote areas of the North East, the truth about BJP and the BJP government has reached the common man, says the PM as he resumes again. “The saffron wave has swept the north east. When a sun sets, its colour is also red,” he says, drawing a parallel to the end of the Left’s 25-year-rule in Tripura.

Prime Minister Modi resumes his address to party workers with chants of ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’. He says that BJP workers have sacrificed their lives for this victory. “Politics is all about ideology and this is a defeat of the maoist-thinking of Left parties. Democracy has risen to end the misrule in Tripura. Logon ne Chot ka jawab vote se dia hai (People have answered with their votes),” he says. PM Modi pauses for the second time, this time for BJP’s ‘martyrs’ in Tripura.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi starts speaking on the BJP’s victory in Tripura, but then pauses and says he will take a 2-minute break for Azaan, the Muslim call for prayer, to complete.

Amit Shah: This is a victory of politics of performance. It shows people of north east have accepted ‘sabka saath, sabka vikas’ policy. This is a victory of PM Modi’s Act East policy. The BJP has given a fitting answer to the killing of its 9 workers in Tripura. This is the first celebration in new the BJP HQ. This is A historic day for the party. This vijay rath of BJP will now go to Karnataka.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will speak on the election results from the BJP headquarters in Delhi shortly. Union Ministers Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitley, Rajnath Singh and Nitin Gadkari are also at the BJP headquarters.

Here is a graph mapping the performance of the saffron party in the three north-eastern states over the last four elections. Prime Minister Narendra Modi termed his party's victory a rise from "shoonya to shikhar (zilch to zenith)”.

Here's a look at the vote shares of the BJP and the Congress in the three north-eastern states.

The ruling Nagaland People's Front (NPF) is ready to form the government in the state with the BJP if it comes forward for a post-poll alliance, Chief Minister TR Zeliang said

The results that have come prove that Congress-mukt Bharat is not just a slogan but a reality. In Tripura and Nagaland, the party is headed for a complete washout, says senior BJP leader and union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad.

Hectic parleys are underway in Meghalaya as both Congress and BJP look to form the govermment. Congress leader Ahmed Patel, who has been sent to the state to seal a post-poll alliance, says the Congress is the single largest party in Meghalaya and there is no debate on it. The Congress is leading on 21 seats, nine short of the 31 needed to form the government. But Thomas Sangma of the NPP says there is no chance of merging with the Congress. “Parties like the UDP, HSPDP and PDF have approached us and have lent their support. I am sure the BJP will also come and support us to oust the Congress from Meghalaya. We are working on the permutations and combinations to find a midway in breaking this deadlock,” he says.

Amit Shah: Mandate after mandate has been in the favour of Narendra Modi Ji and his government but the BJP’s golden period will not start till it forms governments in Odisha, West Bengal and Kerala. We will definitely be victorious in Karnataka.

Amit Shah: In 2014, Narendra Modi ji had said western side of the nation has developed a lot but the development has not reached the eastern side yet. He immediately started his 'act east policy'. I believe this is the victory of his policies, stamped by the 3 states of the north-east.

Amit Shah: Tripura has proven that Left is not the Right for any part of India. First, West Bengal had proven this and today, Tripura has proven it.

There was a time when the BJP was known as a Hindi belt party. But today, we have governments from Maharashtra and Gujarat in the west to Tripura in the east. In all, the party has governments in 20 parties now. Very soon, we will also form a government in Karnataka, says Shah.

On Tripura, Shah says that in the last assembly election, only one BJP candidate had not lost its deposit. From there, today we have a clear majority in this election, he says, and the party’s vote share has been over 50 per cent. This is a victory of our government’s Act East policy as well as all the work done by our cadres in the state, Shah says.

BJP chief Amit Shah, holding a press conference in Delhi, says it has been a day for joy for the BJP. “This win the in North East for us has many different meanings. I would like to congratulate our workers in all three states. We will focus on development of the north east region. This is a victory for the policies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” he says.

The Prime Minister said that time and again, election after election, the people of India are reposing their faith in the positive and development oriented agenda of the NDA. “People do not have the time or respect for negative, disruptive and disconnected politics of any kind,” he wrote. He also thanked the people of Meghalaya and Nagaland for the support.

In a series of tweets, an ecstatic Prime Minister Narendra Modi has weighed in on the party’s grand victory in Tripura as well as the good showing in Nagaland. Calling the Tripura election an “epoch making one”, the PM said that what “my sisters and brothers of Tripura have done is extraordinary. No words will be enough to thank them for the phenomenal support towards @BJP4Tripura. We will leave no stone unturned in transforming Tripura.” He said that the “the journey from ‘Shunya’ to ‘Shikhar’ has been made possible due to a solid development agenda and the strength of our organisation. “I bow to every BJP Karyakarta for working assiduously on the ground for years. The historic victory in Tripura is as much an ideological one. It is a win for democracy over brute force and intimidation. Today peace and non-violence has prevailed over fear. We will provide Tripura the good government that the state deserves,” he tweeted.

​The BJP’s stunning success in Tripura has once again proved that the Narendra Modi-Amit Shah juggernaut is unstoppable and further expanded the saffron map. The party now has governments in 20 states in the country.

The Left, voted out of power in Tripura after 25 years, has issued a statement on its big loss. “The BJP has, apart from other factors, utilized massive deployment of money and other resources to influence the elections. The BJP was able to consolidate all the anti-Left votes, virtually appropriating the erstwhile main opposition party, the Congress,” it said. The party’s polit bureau also thanked the 45 per cent people that supported the Left Front, and said it would take remedial measures after carefully examining the reasons for its loss.

Kiren Rijiju, the minister of state for home, has credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the BJP’s stellar showing in the elections. “The dream roadmap of Prime Minister Narendra Modi-ji for north east has won the heart of the people. A new political landscape led by BJP is firmly established in the region now. Good for north east, good for India," he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected at the new BJP headquarters at 5 pm. Meanwhile, Smriti Irani tweets, "Unprecedented victory for BJP in Tripura. PM Narendra Modi ji’s emphasis on development of North East has found resonance with citizens of NER. Heartiest congratulations to our President Amit Shah ji & BJP Tripura team for the massive win."

"I thank brothers and sisters of Tripura for their massive support to BJP. This is the victory of PM Narendra Modi's politics of development and his commitment to the welfare of North-Eastern region of India," tweets BJP national president Amit Shah.

Biplab Kumar Deb stayed in Tripura in his early years and got a BA Degree from Tripura University. Deb shifted to the National Capital for higher studies and stayed in New Delhi for 15 years. Before joining politics he worked as a gym instructor in Delhi. However, it was his work as a Pracharak with the RSS that was his pathway to politics. An old RSS hand, Sunil Deodhar had worked in Meghalaya for the better part of the last decade to expand the Sangh’s footprint in the region. He is said to be the brains behind the BJP’s door-to-door campaign in Tripura. During his time in Tripura, Deodhar felt the need for a “face” of the BJP in Tripura to counter the popularity of Manik Sarkar, India’s poorest CM who held the high office for 20 years from 1998 to 2018. Deodhar said in an interview that he could not think of anyone better than Deb to lead the party from the front.

After the BJP secured a historic mandate, winning absolute majority in the state of Tripura, the BJP Parliamentary Board is all set to meet on Saturday evening to decide on who will succeed CPI (M)’s Manik Sarkar as the next Chief Minister of the state. The top claimant for the job is the young state president of the party. 48-year-old Bilab Kumar Deb is a home grown talent, who has been associated with the RSS for a long time. Born in Akraban, Udaipur in Gomoti District of Tripura, Biplab was in the national capital for 15 years. He has the backing of the central leadership, as they think of him as one of their own and not an ‘opportunist’ politician who moves from ship to ship. In a party where almost half the candidates were former Congress leaders, this can be a big fillip for him.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi at 67 has a young and energetic thought process. Rahul, at the age of 50, does not," says Tripura BJP president Biplab Kumar Deb.

I will abide by party's orders. Its a team victory. We followed Amit Shah. He was worked a lot in Tripura. We get confidence with the way the party president works. Whatever responsibility I will be given, I will take it. The parliamentary board will decide if I would be CM. Tripura is not foolish, public support gives us strength," says Tripura BJP president Biplab Kumar Deb.

If BJP chief Amit Shah is a student of post graduation then Congress president Rahul Gandhi is still in nursery class, Assam minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Saturday while comparing the two leaders' capability in politics. Sarma was in the Congress for nearly two decades and a minister in the then Tarun Gogoi-led Congress governments for nearly 15 years before joining the BJP in 2015. "I would say, if Amit Shah is a student of post graduate in politics, Rahul Gandhi is still in nursery class," he told reporters here when asked to compare Shah and Gandhi's style of functioning.

CLICK TO READ | Who Will be Tripura's Next CM? Biplab Deb, a Former Gym Instructor, the Frontrunner

Given that except for the first Meghalaya elections in 1972 no party has got a majority in the Assembly, Independent MLAs have played an important role in government formation. The first Meghalaya Assembly had 19 Independent candidates in a House of 60 and the previous one had 13. In fact, in 2001, an Independent candidate became the Chief Minister of the state. Flinder Anderson Khonglam (an Independent candidate from MLA for Sohra — known as Cherapunjee to the outside world) was the first ever Independent MLA to be the Chief Minister of any Indian state. Even in 2018, the 6 Independents could very well decide who forms the government.

"Tripura works on different lines. I attribute this success to all party members and cadre who have worked under the leadership of Sunil Deodhar," says Ram Madhav, BJP in-charge of the North East.

The Congress has never been able to get a majority on its own in the Meghalaya Assembly. Congress' best-ever performance in the state was in 2013 when it won 29 seats, still 2 short of a majority. Except for the first elections in 1972, Congress has always been the single largest party winning at least 20 seats in the last 8 elections.

In Meghalaya's Nartiang, famous for its 500-year-old Durga Temple, Sniawbhalang Dhar of the NPP is comfortably ahead. Dhar is the sitting MLA from the constituency and had contested the 2013 election on a Congress ticket.

Nagaland recorded 75% voter turnout in the 2018 Assembly Elections. Polling in Nagaland was marred by sporadic incidents of violence. According to PTI, one person was killed and three others were injured in a clash between supporters of the Naga People’s Front (NPF) and the newly-floated Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) in Akuluto constituency of Zunheboto district.

Meghalaya witnessed 75% polling during the 2018 Assembly Elections. “Over 13.5 lakh of the 18.09 lakh voters in Meghalaya have cast their votes. This means around 74.62% polling was recorded,” chief electoral officer FR Kharkongor had said. Of the 3025 EVMs that were used, only 28 malfunctioned, the chief electoral officer added.

"In a way, the entire North East is now with the BJP. Initially, we used to say 'Congress mukt Bharat' now I think we can say 'Vaampanth (Communist) mukt Bharat' also, says Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad.

WIN | Congress' Mazel Ampareen Lyngdon wins the East Shillong seat against BJP's Neil Antonio War by 5084 votes.

Congress is leading Meghalaya with 23 seats, while NPP and BJP have 13, 6 seats respectively. Others, such as the UDP and PDF, are ahead in 18 seats in the North East state.

NDPP+ alliance, which has the BJP as its partner, has a lead of 31 seats, while the NPF+ alliance is at 24 in Nagaland. Others have managed 5 seats with Congress not being to open their account.

BJP has a lead of 41 seats, while the CPI(M) is at 18 seats in Tripura. Others have managed one seat, while the TMC and Congress are at zero.

Congress leader and CM Mukul Sangma wins the Ampati seat in Meghalaya over BJP's Bakul Ch. Hajong with 9096 votes. The state is witnessing an interesting contest as the Congress is currently leading, but the BJP says it will form the government with UDP and NPP.

"I will be supporting any party that works for the welfare of the people of the state," SK Sunn, independent candidate who won from Mawphlang constituency in Meghalaya

CLICK TO READ | In Tripura, 'Communist Party of Kerala' Scripts its Impending Doom

"In Meghalaya, the vote is basically against the Congress if you see the performance of other parties. Leaders will discuss if there can be the possibility of a post-poll alliance," says Nalin Kohli, BJP Meghalaya incharge.

BJP leaders Nirmala Sitharaman and Vijender Gupta congratulate their party after its extraordinary performance in North East states, especially Tripura:

CLICK TO READ | Meet the Fab Four Who Delivered BJP's North-East Blockbuster

WIN | Congress leader and CM Mukul Sangma wins from both the seats — Ampati and Songsok — he contested in Meghalaya. The state is witnessing an interesting contest as the Congress is currently leading, but the BJP says it will form the government with UDP and NPP. The Congress has rushed senior leaders Kamal Nath and Ahmed Patel to Shillong, while the BJP is sending trusted strategist Himanta Biswa Sarma.

CLICK TO READ | Himanta Biswa Sarma, the Man Who Cut His Teeth in Cong Before Becoming BJP's 100% Strike Rate Player

"It is a historical day. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has himself put in a lot of effort to achieve this dream. He held four rallies in the state and was tracking the developments till late last night. Our party cadre have also worked very hard. Himanta Biswa Sarma has been the architect, who has been working hard for the last three months. We are happy that the trends show that the people of Tripura want us to form the government. CPI(M) put up a spirited fight but the people want change. The final results will bear testimony to that. The Chalo Paltai was accepted by the people. In Nagaland, we will form an alliance. I am leaving for Meghalaya, while Himanta will go to Nagaland," says Ram Madhav, BJP in-charge of the North East.

In the eight Assembly seats in the greater Shillong region, Congress is leading in four (Mawlai, East Shillong, West Shillong and Nongthymmai), while BJP is ahead in three (Pynthorumkhrah, North Shillong and South Shillong). The saffron party was expected to win Pynthorumkhrah and South Shillong (seats with predominantly non-tribal population and in which the sitting MLAs switched sides to join BJP just before the election). Prominent woman politician Roshan Warjri not contesting this time from the North Shillong seat appears to have given BJP an advantage.

Visuals of BJP workers celebrating in Agartala as trends show the party leading in Tripura:

Congress is leading Meghalaya with 24 seats, while NPP and BJP have 10, 8 seats respectively. UDP is ahead in 14 seats in the North East state.

NDPP+ alliance, which has the BJP as its partner, takes a lead of 30 seats, while the NPF+ alliance is at 26 in Nagaland. Others have managed 3 seats with Congress not being to open their account.

BJP has taken a lead in 40 seats, while the CPI(M) is far behind with 18 seats in Tripura. Others have managed one seat, while the TMC and Congress are at zero.

News18’s Soumyadip Choudhury says, “In the five non-tribal dominated seats of Meghalaya, BJP is ahead in two Shillong seats (Pynthorumkhrah and South Shillong). The sitting MLAs of both seats had recently moved over to the BJP. Congress is ahead in West Shillong, where Mohendro Rapsang, who belongs to a prominent business family is ahead of Paul Lyngdon of the UDP. Lyngdoh has first made his influence felt in Meghalaya politics as the President of the powerful Khasi Students Union. NPP is leading in Phulbari and Independent candidate Ashahel Shira is ahead in Rajabala (both seats are in the Garo Hills region of the state). 55 of the 60 seats in Meghalaya are reserved for Scheduled Tribes.”

News18's Karishma Hasnat says, "During IPFT unrest, it was BJP who took care of their ration and all forms of entertainment. For IPFT, it was an offer they just couldn’t refuse. However, the issue of Twipraland doesn’t feature in BJP’s Vision Document. What worked for BJP is the promise of 7th pay commission salary to state government employees if they were voted to power. Free smartphones for youth is what BJP promised – at a place where there’s no pub, lounge bars – such luring works well."

Himanta Biswa Sarma, the man behind the BJP’s tour de force performance in Tripura, said the alliance with IPFT (Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura) was the gamechanger. “Alliance with IPFT could have been suicidal or give us huge advantage but Amit Shah was sure it will get good results. Many people did not want merger but the BJP president was in favour and that has helped. If Amit Shah is a student of post graduation, Rahul Gandhi is in nursery in terms of politics,” said Sarma, the BJP in-charge for the Tripura Assembly elections 2018.

News18's Soumyadip Choudhury says, "Mukul Sangma is proving himself to be a worthy successor to Congress veteran and 4-time Meghalaya chief minister DD Lapang. 83-year-old Lapang isn't contesting the 2018 elections after he handed over the CM post to Sangma, following a revolt in the Meghalaya Congress in 2010. If Congress wins Meghalaya, this will be Sangma's third stint as the state head. The Congress is performing equally well in the Garo Hills region of the state, Sangma's home constituency, as well as the Khasi and Jaintia Hill region."

CNN-News18's Subhajit Sengupta says, "The 100 percent strike rate of Himanta Biswa Sarma. He has so far delivered every state BJP has asked him to focus on. He had once confided that Tripura would be the most difficult election to win for BJP, from there, he managed a turnaround. He managed to break the entire top leadership of Trinamool Congress and Congress to bring them into BJP. He then went on to build an Assam-style alliance with the indigenous party. Due to the alliance, the vote in the hills polarised in favour of the BJP. What next for him in BJP? His profile will certainly go up but will he remain happy as the number 2 in Assam?"

CNN-News18's Marya Shakil says, "The BJP has managed to dethrone Manik Sarkar, one of the longest-serving CMs of India. The fight for Tripura began 3 years ago when Amit Shah travelled to the state and began appointing district presidents. The process of building cadres began next. Ram Madhav, incharge of North East, has often called the battle for Tripura as 'Battle Royale'. It’s the victory of a cadre-based party over another and the BJP is likely to claim this as their ideological victory. Despite the fact that the state sends just two MPs to the Lok Sabha this would be about showcasing that the BJP under Shah has hunger in its belly with its mantra — every election has to be fought to be won."

Visuals of BJP workers celebrating as trends show their party ahead in Tripura:

BJP Home Affairs MoS Kiren Rijiju has said that the BJP, UDP and NPP will together form the government in Meghalaya.

Sanjoy Hazarika (Prof, Center for NE Studies, Jamia Millia Islamia): In other states apart from Tripura, we can see former Congressman fighting the Congress. So, the biggest loser in these states is the Grand Old Party. The party is fighting with its back to the wall in Meghalaya and not in the picture in Tripura etc. But the BJP’s vote share shows now that the CPI(M) cannot take its voters for granted.

The National Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) has jumped ahead of the NPF with 28 seats as compared to 26 for its rival. The NPF has been heading the Nagaland government with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), as part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) since 2003 but in the run-up to the current polls, the BJP jumped ship and shook hands with the NDPP. The incumbent chief minister of the state is TR Zeliang of the NPF.

BJP sources in Nagaland say they are confident of forming the government with counting of rural sector votes yet to begin. In Meghalaya, the party is ensuring that all non-Congress parties come together to form the government in the state. "Not a moral victory, but a real victory in Tripura," say BJP leadership.

CNN-News18's Pallavi Ghosh says, "Rahul Gandhi did less than 10 rallies in all three states combines. It shows how Congress never gave much importance to these states as they do not want it to be a reflection of the new party president. It looks like Rahul has learnt from his past mistakes, where even though the Congress was the single largest party in Goa and Manipur, they couldn't form the government due to failed strategy. The face of India's Grand Old Party has sent master strategists Kamal Nath, Ahmed Patel and Mukul Wasnik to ensure that there is no repeat of the same. In Tripura, Cong didn’t want to take on Manik Sarkar as it’s an ally it looks at for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls."

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Despite CPI(M) being ahead ever since the start of counting in Tripura, the BJP has made a stunning come back to lead in 28 seats as compared to 26 seats of the Left. The contest is one of the closest seen in recent times and the national party is claiming that it will win at least 15 seats in the tribal belt.

“BJP’s performance has been extraordinary, despite having zero leaders in the North East states. Even if it forms the single largest opposition, that itself will give them a big mileage. CPI(M) has itself to blame as it has become a static party apart from being a Bengali party. They need to go beyond the narrative of just being a Bengali party. They need to encourage visioning,” says Sanjoy Hazarika, Professor in Center for North East Studies in Jamia Millia Islamia.

"In Meghalaya, we will form the government. The BJP don't have a stand of their own, they resorted to stealing our leaders. Many defected to their side but the Congress will still emerge victorious," says Congress spokesperson, Zarita.

In Meghalaya, chief minister Mukul Sangma, Agatha Sangma and James Sangma are leading from their constituencies. BJP's Donkupar Roy is ahead in Shella and Alexander Laloo Hek, a former member of the Congress who then shifted to BJP, is leading in Pynthorumkhrah.

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The NPF+ alliance is ahead in eight seats, while the NDPP+ alliance is leading in nine. The Congress and the NCP are yet to open their account.

At the close of the first hour, Congress and NPP both are leading with three seats in Meghalaya. The BJP is ahead in one, while the United Democratic Party, led by Donkupar Roy, is ahead in five.

After one hour of counting, the CPI(M) has maintained its lead with 22 seats, while the BJP is ahead in 19. The Congress, which over the years been the other major party in the state, only has one seat to its name. Chief Minister Manik Sarkar is leading from Dhanpur constituency, while BJP’s Biplab Deb is trailing from Banamalipur

CLICK TO READ | Can 'India's Poorest CM' Manik Sarkar Halt BJP's Winning Spree in the Northeast?

For BJP and RSS, if they are able to make a dent in the communist base, then that's a win for them. Tripura, like West Bengal, is a Bengali state and if they make a dent there, it means impacting the Bengali mind. That is why there is an extra impetus from BJP high command to capture maximum North Eastern states. If the Left loses Tripura, they lose all kind of relevance, says Subir Bhowmik, Author and Political Analyst.

At 8:45 am, the Congress is ahead in three seats in Meghalaya, while the BJP is leading in one. The National People's Party (NPP) is also ahead in three seats, while candidates of other parties are also leading in four seats in the state.

After the first half an hour of counting in Tripura, BJP is leading in 10 seats, while, CPI(M) is ahead in nine. The Congress is yet to open its account. In the 2013 Assembly elections, the CPI(M) won 49 seats in the 60-member House. The CPI won one and the Congress won the remaining 10 seats.

It is not uncommon to see Panchali Bhattacherjee returning on a cycle rickshaw from the neighbourhood market near her official bungalow. To put it into context, Panchali is the wife of Manik Sarkar, who has been Tripura’s Chief Minister for the last 20 years. The ‘poorest CM of India’ survives on the fee that he gets from his party, the CPI(M). He donates his CM’s salary to the party. But Manik Sarkar is probably fighting one of the toughest electoral battles of his lifetime. The BJP has been on a winning spree in the North East, but CPM’s Sitaram Yechury feels Sarkar is the general who will give the BJP its ‘Waterloo’ moment. The battle in Tripura has always been between the Congress and the Communists. But this time, the BJP has made a direct entry at No. 2 by virtue of acquisition.

CLICK TO READ | Communists Have Subjected People of Tripura to Slavery, Says PM Narendra Modi

In Tripura, BJP has allied with regional party IPFT for Tripura. One of IPFT’s main demands is a separate Tripuraland, however, the common statement signed by both the parties have agreed to one, united Tripura. IPFT is contesting 9/60 and BJP is contesting 51/60 seats in Tripura. PM Narendra Modi made an interesting remark while campaigning in Agartala and Shantibazaar, saying that development has been stalled in Tripura under the communists, just as the traffic stops at red signal, and the state will progress when the 'reds' are ousted from power. "You have to stop before a red traffic signal. Even if you are in a hurry, you cannot go ahead. Similarly, the red flags of the Left Front have stopped progress in Tripura. Time to change this and usher in good governance," he said, adding "the Left will be difficult to find in Tripura after the results are declared".

According to BJP state president Biplab Kumar Deb, in Tripura, the Congress occupied that space but they had an on and off relationship with the CPM. So now all anti-Left votes have consolidated under the BJP because people realise that the BJP will never compromise with the CPI-M, ideologically or otherwise. Same happened in Manipur. In a bipolar electoral situation, the previous election figures don’t matter. In Tripura, 44 % voters always opposed the CPM and that entire 44 % is now rallying behind the BJP. The party’s consistent approach has been to not go into any conflict with the tribals, take them into the mainstream, enter into an alliance, make them comfortable and let them share equal power with a national political party. “We did that in Manipur, Assam and started the process in Arunachal."

Launching a scathing attack on Chief Minister Manik Sarkar and his party, Modi said the people in Tripura feel intimidated by the communists. "For something as basic as a ration card, people here have to approach the party office. Even when somebody gets murdered, police does not register a case unless they get the approval from the CPI(M)," he told an election rally. The communists here force common people to depend on them for everything, he said, adding "this is the new face of slavery". He claimed Tripura has hardly witnessed any development under the Left rule. The prime minister said people wear 'manik' (gemstone) for changing their fate, but this Manik (Sarkar) failed to bring prosperity to people. "Throw away Manik (Sarkar government) and go for 'hira' for prosperity and development in the state in the upcoming election," he urged the gathering.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday accused the Left Front government in Tripura of subjecting people to "slavery", and asked the voters to "throw it away". Addressing two rallies in the poll-bound state, Modi coined a new acronym 'HIRA' — H for highways, I for Internet way, R for roadways and A for airways — hard selling the BJP as a tool for ushering in prosperity and development in the state which the Left has ruled for 25 years without a break.

CLICK TO READ | As Hindutva Wave Makes Way into Northeast, Congress Battles to Hold onto Meghalaya

Senior journalist and Editor of The Shillong Times, Patricia Mukhim believes these are telling signs that all is not well in the Congress party fold. "Senior people leaving the Congress is certainly a setback. Also, the MLAs who have left know that the Congress will find it difficult to return to power and some of them have chief ministerial aspirations. They believe if they remain in the Congress, they will have to go with Dr Mukul Sangma as the AICC is unlikely to change the CM face,” she says. Meghalaya’s story in the 2018 elections is going to be that of Congress’ attempt at retaining one of its very few bastions.

As the counting of votes is set to begin, the day will decide Congress President Rahul Gandhi's fate in Meghalaya where he chose to blow the poll bugle with a rock concert election campaign. Congress poll managers in Meghalaya see this as smart move; directly addressing the young in a language that Shillong, the rock capital of India, understands. It also helps that the number of registered young voters in Meghalaya is close to a lakh. The outreach to them is writ large, analysis CNN-News18's Sneha Morani.

Since the Nagaland Assembly was formed in 1963, the state has never seen a woman legislator. Nagaland became a state of India on December 1, 1963, and after elections in January 1964, the first Nagaland Legislative Assembly was formed on February 11, 1964. In 1974, the strength of the Legislative assembly was increased to the present strength of 60 members.

CLICK TO READ | Meghalaya Village Has the Funniest Voter List, Thanks to the Love for English Names

Counting for the elections in Nagaland, Meghalaya and Tripura have begun. BJP will be just one state short of a Congress-mukt North-East if exit poll results on the three states of Nagaland, Meghalaya and Tripura are to be believed. While Congress has been pushed out of Assam, Manipur and Arunachal in polls held after 2014 general elections, Congress-governed Meghalaya, which goes to polls as the only non-BJP ruled state in North-East when results of the three states are announced, if exit polls are to be believed. Two exit polls have predicted a Congress rout in all the three states, and have suggested BJP coming to power in all three states with help from regional players.

BJP’s poll in-charge of Tripura is Sunil Deodhar. The 52-year old RSS pracharak-turned-BJP poll strategist, who served as Prime Minister Narendra Modi's campaign manager in Varanasi during the 2014 general elections, had shifted base to Tripura three years ago to build BJP's campaign against the ruling Left Front government. He has radically transformed the party's electoral fortunes from its virtual non-existence to emerging as the foremost challenger to the state's Manik Sarkar-led government. In an interview to News18, Deodhar said that "It is a fact that we are riding on a strong anti-CP(M) wave rather than a pro-BJP wave. It's more of a 'CP(M) hatao' sentiment than a 'Modi lao' one. And it's because of an incompetent chief minister, his misrule and bad governance." he said. Deodhar alleged that under Manik Sarkar's rule, the poor in Tripura have become poorer and said that around 67 percent of Tripura's population holds BPL cards.

Khagendra Jamataia, Tripura Fisheries and Cooperation minister and a CPI(M) contestant in the recent state assembly poll died at a hospital in New Delhi on Friday, Deputy Speaker Pabitra Kar said. Jamatia was CPI(M) candidate from the Krishnapur constituency. He was 64 and is survived by his wife and two sons. Jamataia was shifted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi on February 25 where he was diagnosed with blood cancer. The leader joined the CPI(M) in 1983, was a party MLA for six consecutive terms since 1988 and a minister for two terms, the deputy speaker said.

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The ruling CPI-M has fielded 56 candidates in Tripura, leaving one seat each to its Left Front partners — the Communist Party of India, Forward Bloc and Revolutionary Socialist Party. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is contesting in 50 seats and left nine seats for its ally, the Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT). The Congress fielded candidates for all 59 constituencies but one of its candidates withdrew his nomination and joined the BJP. The Trinamool Congress has fielded 24 candidates.

Ahead of the counting, both the CPI-M and the BJP claimed that they will form the next government in Tripura. CPI-M Tripura State Secretary Bijan Dhar said the Left parties were "more than confident" of forming the next government. BJP state President Biplab Kumar Deb said that people of Tripura wanted change and "strongly wished for a BJP government" in the state. The party had contested 50 seats in the last assembly polls in 2013 and its candidates forfeited their deposits on 49 seats. With 1.87 percent of votes, it failed to win any seat. The CPI-M had won 49 of the 55 seats it contested while the Congress managed to win 10 out of 48 seats it contested.

All exit polls are giving the regional heavyweight Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) most seats in Nagaland. Its Chief Ministerial candidate is Neiphiu Rio. Although NDPP did not ally with BJP before the elections, both parties are said to have an understanding to support each other post-polls. NPF, a decade-and-a-half ally of BJP whom the national party shunned this time, has also offered to support to the party “if the latter doesn't try to impose a religion on the state.” NPF’s TR Zeliang is the CM of the state.

Ahead of the polls in Meghalaya, the BJP released a 38-page document highlighting ‘15 Years of Loot, 15 Years of Destruction’ allegedly carried out by the Congress-led government in the state. The list, released by BJP state in charge and Union Minister KJ Alphons, specifically named cabinet ministers Ampareen Lyngdoh, HDR Lyngdoh and Clement R Marak besides two others, and held them responsible for financial bungling. Alphons described Chief Minister Mukul Sangma as a “devil” on the prowl at night, bent on destroying the state, and accused another Congress leader in the state of running a flesh trade. The party also accused the Congress of a lackadaisical approach, which it said has allowed the problem of militancy to worsen.

Congress has been in power in Meghalaya for more than 10 years, BJP did not even open its account in 2013. National People's Party's (NPP) Conrad Kongkal Sangma will be the man of the moment in the state, the exit poll has suggested. Although his party did not get into a pre-poll alliance with the BJP, the two are understood have entered into an agreement with each other and are most likely to form the government in Meghalaya. Exit Polls give BJP+ between 27-32 seats, NPF 20-25 seats and Congress between 0-2 seats in the state.

Though the BJP did not announce a CM face for Tripura, the party's state president Biplab Kumar Deb is the person most likely to take up the top job if it manages to defeat the Left. Deb is contesting the elections from the Banamalipur seat in Agartala where he is taking on CPI(M) state committee leader Amal Chakraborty. Himanta Biswa Sarma also has been looking after BJP’s affairs in the state. In an interview with News18, Sarma claimed that the party could bag up to 40/60 seats in the state. He claimed that incumbent CM Manik Sarkar himself could lose his Dhanpur seat.

CPM Tripura State Secretary Bijan Dhar has said that the Left parties are "more than confident" of forming the next government. BJP state President Biplab Kumar Deb claims the people of Tripura want change and "strongly wish for a BJP government" in the state.

The BJP had contested 50 seats in the last assembly polls in 2013 and its candidates forfeited their deposits on 49 seats. With 1.87 per cent of votes, it failed to win any seat. The CPM had won 49 of the 55 seats it contested while the Congress managed to win 10 out of 48 seats it contested.

In Tripura, two exit polls have suggested the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) dethroning the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M)-led government that has had an uninterrupted run since 1993. Ahead of Saturday's counting, both the CPM and the BJP claimed that they will form the next government in the state.

The election process in Nagaland had started on a difficult note. Following a no-poll diktat from the Core Committee of Nagaland Tribal Hohos and Civil Organisations that advocated "solution (to the Naga political issue) before election", political parties initially kept away from the poll process. Though the filing of nominations started on January 31, the first batch of 22 contestants filed their papers only on February 5, the penultimate day for filing of nominations. There was a heavy rush of nominees to file their nomination papers on the last day, February 7, and finally after scrutiny and withdrawal, 227 candidates were in the fray for the Assembly elections in the state.

In Nagaland, the BJP has joined hands with the NDPP that was floated by former chief minister Neiphiu Rio. The NDPP is contesting on 40 seats and the saffron party on 20. The Congress, which has given three chief ministers to Nagaland since the state's inception in 1963, is contesting only in 18 seats, two less than the BJP.

While Tripura went to the polls on February 18, elections were held in Nagaland and Meghalaya on February 27. Though the strength of each of the Assemblies in the three states is 60 members, voting was held for 59 constituencies in all of them, for different reasons. While a CPI(M) candidate died in Tripura, a Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) candidate was killed in Meghalaya, which resulted in countermanding of the polls in one seat each in the two states. In Nagaland, the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) chief Neiphiu Rio was declared elected unopposed. In Meghalaya, the Congress fielded 59 candidates, while the BJP put up nominees in 47 constituencies. For the first time, Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma is contesting from two seats.