Key Takeaways: BJP’s Northeast Conquests

All eyes were on the BJP as results for Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland elections were declared on 3 March.

The results for the Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland Assembly elections were declared on Saturday, 3 March, and saw the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) making crucial inroads into the three northeastern states.

The BJP’s election strategy left nothing to chance, and coupled with anti-incumbency against the 25-year-old rule of the Manik Sarkar-led Left front government, gave the BJP and its ally IPFT (Indigenous People's Front Of Tripura) victory in 43 out of 60 Assembly seats in the state.

In Nagaland, the party’s alliance with National Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) engaged in a neck-and-neck battle with its former ally, the Naga People’s Front (NPF), tying at 27 seats each. But with the support of JD(U) and an Independent candidate, the BJP is touted to form a coalition government.

Meghalaya elected a hung Assembly. The Congress emerged as the single-largest party winning 21 seats and the National People’s Party (NPP) grabbed 19. The ‘other’ parties are set to play kingmaker, with both the Congress and the BJP deputing senior leaders to broker talks.

The Congress has entrusted Kamal Nath and Ahmed Patel, and the BJP has sent Himanta Biswa Sarma to help form an alliance.

Here are the key takeaways from the three elections:

Tripura

The BJP emerged with a clear majority by bagging 35 seats in Tripura, while its ally, the Indigenous People's Front Of Tripura (IPFT), managed to win eight seats, taking their alliance tally to 43. Incumbent Chief Minister Manik Sarkar-led CPI(M) managed to grab 16 seats.

Nagaland

The race to the Nagaland Assembly saw the BJP-NDPP and NPF alliance engage in a neck-and-neck battle.

Meghalaya

In Meghalaya, the regional parties hold the key to forming the government, with no single party getting a clear majority.

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