Lok Sabha Elections in North East: Voting turnout is 76 per cent in Manipur and Tripura, 71 per cent in Assam

Guwahati: Elections are almost over in the North East region except for 4 seats in Assam. The second phase polls were conducted in one parliamentary constituency in Manipur and Tripura and five seats in Assam. The polls in the Outer Manipur constituency in the trouble-hit state were completely peaceful. Till 5 PM the voter turnout in the ST reserve constituency was 76 per cent, according to the poll officials. The Naga and Kuki-dominated constituency saw a straight fight between Alfred Kanngam S Arthur from the Congress party, Kachui Timothy Zimik representing the Naga People’s Front (NPF). The ruling BJP is supporting the NDA-allied NPF candidate.

In Tripura the Tribal dominated East Tripura constituency went to polls in the second and final phase. The main contest is expected between BJP’s Kriti Devi Debbarman, the elder sister of Tipra Motha Party chief Pradyot Bikram Manikya Debbarma and a royal scion, and CPI-M’s Rajendra Reang, a former MLA representing the opposition INDI Alliance. Till 5 pm the voting percentage was 76 per cent which will increase after the final counting, poll officials said.

Elections were held in 5 constituencies of Assam in the 2nd phase. Nagaon, Darang-Udalguri, Dhiphu, Silchar, and Karimganj parliamentary constituencies went to polls in Assam on April 26. Out of these five seats Diphu constituency is reserved for ST and the Silchar seat is reserved for SC.  In Muslim dominated Nagaon constituency the triangular contest is between the ruling BJP, the opposition Congress, and Badruddin Ajmal-led Muslim political party AIUDF. CM Himanta Biswa Sarma said that Muslim voters are also supporting the saffron party after the immense benefits of the PM Modi government. The CM said that BJP will win both the Muslim-dominated Nagaon and Karimganj constituencies. Till 5 pm the voter turnout was around 71 per cent according to the poll officials.

The final poll on 4 parliamentary seats in Assam is slated on May 7. Guwahati, Barpeta, Kokrajhar and Dhubri will go to polls in the final phase. So far, the election held in 10 parliamentary seats in Assam 2 each in Manipur and Tripura. The election was completed in Nagaland, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, and Sikkim in the first phase on April 19. Assembly elections for the 60-seat Arunachal Pradesh assembly and the 32-seat Sikkim assembly were completed on April 19.