Exit polls differ on Tripura, put Sangma ahead in Meghalaya

NEW DELHI: Exit polls released on Monday were unanimous that the NDPP-BJP alliance was set to sweep Nagaland and that Conrad Sangma’s NPP would finish a clear first but short of a majority in Meghalaya, but differed on the outcome in Tripura.
One gave the BJP-led alliance a two-thirds majority in Tripura, another gave it a narrow win and a third estimated that it would be a triangular race in the state with the BJP-IPFT combine narrowly ahead of the Left-Congress alliance, but short of the halfway mark in the 60-member assembly.

Tripura exit polls 2023
If the exit polls released on Monday prove accurate, NDPP’s Neiphiu Rio would get a fifth term as chief minister in Nagaland, having earlier held the post from 2002 to 2014 and regained it in 2018. In all three polls, the NDPP-BJP alliance was shown getting close to a two-thirds majority.

In Tripura, where BJP scored a surprise win in 2018 displacing the Left after decades in power, the exit polls indicate that the fledgling Tipra Motha had done extremely well in the state’s tribal seats and could yet get to play kingmaker, if the Times Now poll turns out right.

The projections for Meghalaya suggest that incumbent CM Conrad Sangma is best placed to occupy the post again with backing from BJP, which was an ally in his government though not in the polls.

The polls all agree that BJP will gain seats in Meghalaya and Nagaland while disagreeing on whether the saffron party will see its tally reduced in Tripura. In contrast, all the polls agree that Congress will see further erosion in its presence in the three northeastern states.
Meghalaya Exit Polls 2023
Conrad sangma remark sparks buzz of BJP tie-up
Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma said he was open to aligning with a party that can “give voice to the Northeast at the national level”, setting off speculation that he may renew ties with estranged partner BJP if the poll results threw up a hung assembly in the state.