Polling for the Tripura Assembly elections was held on Thursday, 16 February.
Over 81 percent of voters had their fingers inked as of 4 pm, as per the the State Election Commission. Meanwhile, Congress has alleged that "BJP goons" attacked two of its party members in the state's Sanitbazar district.
“As many as 31,000 polling personnel and 25,000 security personnel of central forces are ready to conduct the election in a free, fair and peaceful manner. Besides, 31,000 employees of the state armed police and the state police will be deployed to maintain law and order,” Chief Electoral Officer Gitte Kirankumar Dinakarro was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
The voting began at 7 am and will go on till 4 pm
The polling for the 60-member Assembly is taking place at 3,337 polling stations, out of which 1,100 were identified as sensitive and 28 as critical, Chief Electoral Officer Dinakarro said
Over 259 candidates, out of which 22 are women, are contesting for 60 seats.
Around 28.13 lakh voters, including 13.53 lakh women, are expected to cast their votes
The results of the elections will be declared on 2 March
Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to Twitter to urge people to vote in record numbers, saying:
Later in the day, Tripura Congress & BJP units, as well as BJP general secretary Dilip Saikia were served an EC notice for seeking votes on Twitter when polling was underway.
'BJP Goons Attacked','People Stopped From Voting': Congress, CPIM
Amid the Assembly elections, Tripura Congress took to Twitter and accused rival BJP of poll violence.
"BJP goons attacked Chandan Das and Shipan Majumdar in Shantir Bazar," the party unit tweeted on Thursday morning. It further added that the police were acting as mere spectators during the incident.
Agartala: People wait in queues to cast their votes at a polling booth during the Tripura Assembly elections, in Agartala on Thursday, 16 February.
(Photo: PTI)
Meanwhile, later in the day, CPIM leader and former CM of the state Manik Sarkar, said:
"In some places, miscreants on behalf of BJP are causing trouble and stopping people from casting their votes fearlessly. But the people are trying their best to cast vote."
He added, "The information our people get is communicated to Chief Electoral Officer. He is responding in a very positive manner. But what action is taken on ground needs to be examined further," reported news agency ANI.
Meanwhile, ADM and Collector Tripura Sumit Lodhi spoke with ANI and said, "scuffle reported at a polling station between 3 and 4 under 33 Kakraban Assembly constituency. The sector magistrate held an inquiry into the matter."
He added that a case was registered in the matter, and the situation is now under control.
Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha, who is contesting from the Town Bardowali constituency, also cast his vote at a polling booth in Agartala on Thursday morning.
Key Players
In Tripura, the ruling BJP faces the Left-Congress alliance on the one hand and the Tipra Motha on the other hand.
Chief Minister Manik Saha of BJP is running from the Town Bardowali constituency, while Union Minister Pratima Bhowmik is contesting from Dhanpur on BJP's ticket.
Whereas, CPI(M) state secretary Jitendra Chaudhury is contesting from the Sabroom Assembly seat. Chaudhury is also the face of Left-Congress alliance.
The Numbers
The BJP is contesting in 55 seats while its ally, Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT), has fielded candidates in six constituencies.
The Congress is fighting in 13 seats, while its ally CPI(M) is contesting in 47 seats. The Tipra Motha has fielded candidates in 42 seats.
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