Nagaland: BJP Set to Oust Naga People’s Front?
- The Nagaland People’s Front (NPF) has been in power in the state since 2003. Will 15 years of anti-incumbency finally take its toll today?
- Exit polls predict a victory for the BJP-Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) alliance.
Why the BJP is Celebrating a Hung Assembly in Meghalaya
The BJP camp is all smiles now that it is certain that Meghalaya has voted in a hung Assembly. The Congress stands at 21 seats, just one seat ahead of the NPP. With the smaller regional parties by and large predisposed against the Congress, a BJP-assisted NPP government seems the most likely possibility.
With the BJP already having shown its prowess in post-poll coalition management in Goa and Manipur recently, the Congress camp will know that their shot at government formation is practically over.
For the grand old party to reach ‘the 31 mark’ therefore, is more a possibility on paper than anything else.
Somebody Win in Nagaland Already!
Okay, honestly, I don’t remember the last time a state election was this much of a cliffhanger at 4:30 pm, a full eight-and-a-half hours after the counting of votes began.
The NPF is leading in 29 seats, the BJP-NDPP alliance is leading in 29 seats, and ‘Others’ are leading in the remaining two seats. What is even happening? Announce a winner already!
Nagaland Contest Heats Up
The BJP-NDPP alliance holds a slender lead in Nagaland. It is ahead in 29 seats. The incumbent NPF is leading in 28 seats. The magic figure the parties need to reach to form a government in the state is 31.
‘Others’ are ahead in three seats. Will this election also be decided by the ‘Others’, or will the NPF or the BJP-NDPP alliance pull through to win 31 seats?
Meghalaya: Drama Continues, Congress Slips to 23 Seats
The ‘Others’ seem more likely than ever before to hold the key to this election. So, which are the parties that form this (generically named) group? And how many seats have they won or are leading in?
- Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) - 1 seat, likely to support a Congress bid to power
- Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP) - 2 seats
- United Democratic Party (UDP) - 6 seats
- Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM) - 1 seat
- People's Democratic Front (PDF) - 3 seats
- Independent - 4 seats
That’s 17 seats in which ‘Others’ are set to win. It places them just one seat behind the NPP, which is at 18 seats. The Congress is at 21, a full 10 seats away from the magic figure of 31.
The BJP will look to ally with the NPP and smaller parties like the HSPDP, UDP, KHNAM and PDF to cross the halfway mark. In addition to wooing these parties, the Congress will expect the support of the NCP and attempt to persuade the 4 independents as well in their bid to form the next government.
These small regional parties, therefore, hold the answer to the fortunes of the two national parties in Meghalaya.