People's Democracy

Some Facts About Tripura Polls

SOME interesting facets about Tripura assembly elections have come to light. Unlike the polls in some other states, here the Left Front vote went up. It also touched almost 51 per cent, as against 49.07 per cent last time.

The Left Front vote went up from 49.7 per cent in the 1998 elections to 50.9 per cent this time. There is a difference of 5.6 per cent between the votes polled by the Left Front and the Congress-INPT alliance.

Out of a total of 60 seats where elections were held, the Left Front got a two-third majority by securing 41seats. Of these 41 seats, the CPI(M) won 38, CPI 1 and RSP 2.

Of the 19 seats won by the Congress-INPT alliance, the Congress won 13 and the INPT 6 seats. This shows the CPI(M)’s creditable performance in the tribal areas which the INPT claimed to be its pocket boroughs. It also confirms the fraudulent nature of the vote the INPT received in the May 2000 ADC polls when the INPT won with the help of NLFT guns. 

Of the 20 tribal reserved seats, the Left Front won in 13 [CPI(M) 12 and CPI 1] and opposition alliance in 7 seats (Congress 1 and INPT 6).

While the Left Front wrested 5 seats from the opposition alliance, it also lost the same number of seats to the opposition.

Among the 7 scheduled caste reserved seats, the Left Front bagged 6 seats and the Congress 1 seat. (INN)