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ELECTIONS '96

BJP maintains lead in Gujarat; Cong ahead in HP

The BJP has been maintaining its lead in Gujarat with the party annexing 10 of the 11 assembly seats, where results have been declared. The party is leading in 103 constituencies, despatching its main rival Congress to a distant second.

In the race for the Himachal Pradesh assembly, however, the Congress is ahead, having bagged 15 of the 21 seats, results of which are available. The BJP and the Himachal Vikas Congress won three seats each.

The ruling CPI-M maintained its overall lead in Tripura, securing 11 of the 18 seats announced so far while it lost six seats to the opposition Congress-TUJS alliance in the sixty-member assembly.

With 43 assembly seats under its belt even before polling in Nagaland, the Congress consolidated its position by gaining another seven seats while independents, its only rivals in the rest 17 constituencies, emerged victorious in six constituencies. Results of four seats are still awaited.

State Planning Minister Z Obed had to bite the dust against Abaokire (independent) in the prestigious Kohima town constituency.

Congress candidates were elected unopposed from the 43 seats in the absence of any opponent in view of the poll boycott call by militant outfits and also non-governmental organisations including Naga Ho Ho.

Chief Minister S C Jamir, who was re-elected leader of the Congress Legislature Party, announced that he would stake claim to form the government in the state.

UNI

Elections '98

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