Tripura exit polls: Will BJP retain the state?

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is all set to retain power in the 60-member assembly, exit polls on Monday predicted.

The BJP is set to retain Tripura by winning 36-45 seats in the 60-member assembly with a vote share of 45 per cent, as per India Today-Axis My India exit poll. The Left is projected to bag 6-11 seats while TMP is predicted to emerge victorious in 9-16 seats.

According to Zee News-Matrize predictions, BJP will win 29-36 seats. The Congress and Left Front will emerge victorious in 13-21 seats (32 per cent vote share) with TMP bagging 11-16 seats (20 per cent vote share).

Going by India News-Jan Ki Baat's prediction, the BJP will bag 29-40 seats while Congress-Left Front might bag 9-16 seats. TMP is predicted to win 10-14 seats.

Interestingly, Times Now-ETG Research has predicted a hung assembly. As per the pollster's projection, the saffron party will win 21-27 seats. It means the saffron party will fall short of 5-6 seats.

It has given 18-24 seats for Left and Congress while predicting TMP to win 12-17 seats.

In the 2018 assembly polls, the BJP ended the two-decade rule of the Left Front, by winning 36 seats.

Seats Secured by Parties in 2018

Polling in Tripura This Time

Tripura recorded over 81 per cent polling in the one-day election to the 60-member Tripura Assembly on February 16.

Altogether 28.13 lakh voters, 13.53 lakh of them women and 65,000 new, will decide the fate of 259 aspirants. BJP is contesting in the largest number of 55 of the 60 constituencies in Tripura, while its ally - the Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT) put up candidates in six seats. The Left Front, which lost to the BJP-IPFT combine in 2018 after a 20-year-long stint, is contesting in 47 seats.

Congress, which has allied with the Left in the state for the first time, fielded candidates in 13 seats.

The regional Tipra Motha is in the poll fray from 42 seats without any ally. A total 58 independents are also in the fray.

Chief Minister Manik Saha who won the by-election from Bardowali Town constituency is seeking to be returned from the same seat, while CPI (M) state secretary Jitendra Chaudhury who is the face of Left-Congress combine, is contesting from Sabroom Assembly seat.

Notably, Tipra Motha supremo Pradyot Kishore Debbarma, a member of the erstwhile royal family in the state and a member of Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council is not contesting the elections.