Tripura assembly polls results 2018: BJP-IPFT set to form government, Manik Sarkar's charisma fails

AGARTALA: Tripura has voted for the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance and thrown out the Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led Left Front government after 25 years. The counting of votes in 59 out of the 60 seats of Tripura Assembly began at 8 am on Saturday. BJP and its allies have mounted a strong challenge and are all set to form the next government in the state. However, CPM leader and Chief Minister Manik Sarkar is leading from Dhampur.

Left Front has been in power in Tripura for the last 25 years and Manik Sarkar has had a very clean record. He has been the chief minister of Tripura for 19 years. The Left Front consists of Communist Party of India (Marxist) or CPI(M) – which is the dominant party, Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) and All India Forward Bloc (AIFB).

In its bid to gain power in the state, the BJP allied with the tribal political outfit Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura (IPFT) while the Congress is going solo.

The state went to polls on February 18. The voting was held in 59 seats, out of the total 60. Elections were countermanded in Charilam constituency as CPIM candidate and sitting MLA Ramendra Narayan Deb Barma died on February 11. The assembly constituency will now go to polls on March 12.