The ruling Left Front has retained its citadel in Tripura for the fourth consecutive term with a convincing win over the Congress-led alliance, while poll results in Meghalaya have thrown up a hung Assembly with the ruling Congress as the single largest block.
Tripura:
Inflicting a crushing blow on its opponents, the Left Front secured three-fourth majority in the 60-member Tripura assembly.
With all the results pouring in, the CPI-M, the dominant partner, gained three-fourths majority on its own bagging 46 seats while its allies RSP pocketed two seats and the CPI one.
The Opposition Congress was routed winning only ten seats and its partner Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura had to remain content with a single seat.
INTP's consolation victory came when its president Bijoy Kumar Hrangkhwal scraped through by 115 votes in Hrishyamukh constituency.
Chief Minister Manik Sarkar (CPI-M) romped home from Dhanpur constituency defeating his nearest rival by 2,900 votes.
In Kolkata, West Bengal CPI-M Secretary Biman Bose, hailing the Left Front's landslide victory, said the verdict was a lesson to the Congress for 'trying to divide tribals and non-tribals'.
Prominent Front winners were Finance Minister Badal Chowdhury (CPI-M) who retained the Hrishyamukh seat by a margin of 7761 votes and Labour Minister Faizur Rahman who won from Kurti.
Other CPI-M winners included Bijita Nath (Kadamtala seat), Amitava Dutta (Dharmanagar), Samir Deb Sarkar (Khowai) and Daniel Jamatia (Ampinagar).
RSP's Joygobinda Deb Roy retained the Radhakishorepur seat defeating Congress' Pranjit Singharoy by 312 votes.
The Left Front had captured power in 1993 and had also won the two subsequent elections in 1998 and 2003. In the previous elections the Front had won 41 seats. In the current elections, one of its allies the Forward Bloc had broken away following differences on seat sharing.
Meghalaya:
The election to the 60-member Meghalaya assembly threw up a hung House with the ruling Congress emerging as the single largest party bagging 25 out of 59 seats for which polling was held on March three.
The Congress, which led a coalition ministry in the outgoing assembly, is expected to form a government with the support of independents and two smaller parties -- Hill State People's Democratic Party and Khun Hynnieutrip National Awakening Movement, political analysts said.
The Nationalist Congress Party, led by former Lok Sabha Speaker P A Sangma, garnered 14 seats followed by the United Democratic Party 11, HSPDP two and KHNAM and BJP one each.
Independents romped home in five constituencies. Polling for Baghmara constituency was postponed to March 22 following the death of Congress contestant Sengran M Sangma.
The NCP, a constituent of the United Progressive Alliance government at the Centre, is unlikely to be part of any Congress-led ministry, the analysts said.
The Congress contested the election sans an alliance this time after having headed the outgoing Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government.
Chief Minister D D Lapang of the Congress retained the Nongpoh seat. Deputy Chief Minister and UDP nominee Donkupar Roy won the Shella seat while another Dy CM and Congress contestant Mukul Sangma romped home from Ampatgiri constituency.
PWD Minister Zenith Sangma, brother of Mukul Sangma, was humbled by Adolf Lu Hitler R Marak of the NCP in Rangsakona constituency. Health Minister Debora C MJarak (Congress) lost to NCP's Marcuise N Marak in Rongrenggiri.
Former Chief Minister and UDP nominee E K Mawlong wrested Umroi seat from the Congress. Another former CM Flinder Anderson Khonglam (HSPDP) lost to Phlopour W. Khongjee in Sohra constituency.
