Meghalaya, Nagaland polls 2018: One dead in clashes; top 10 developments

Meghalaya, Nagaland polls 2018: One dead in clashes; top 10 developments Voting underway in Meghalaya and Nagaland Assembly elections 2018; BJP and Congress slug it out for the Northeast

Voting in the crucial Meghalaya and Nagaland Assembly elections began on Tuesday at 7 am amid tight security, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress slugging it out to see who would emerge as the more dominant party in the Northeast. Despite security being beefed up, one person was injured in a bomb blast at a polling station in Mon District's Tizit in Nagaland.

According to the Election Commission, 22 per cent voting was recorded in Meghalaya till 9:30 am. While 17 per cent voting was recorded in Nagaland till 9 am.

Nagaland CM TR Zeliang has said that he will move towards a Naga political solution after the state polls are concluded.

The two states have a 60-member House each. However, voting will be held only for 59 constituencies in each. Voting for the 60-member Assemblies will commence from 7 am and conclude by 4 pm, except at some polling stations in Nagaland's interior districts where the process is scheduled to be completed at 3 pm.

Encouraged by the formation of governments in Assam, Manipur, and Arunachal Pradesh, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is making a determined bid to expand its footprint in the Northeast. Meanwhile, the Assembly election's outcome in Meghalaya is particularly significant for the Congress, which has been ruling the state for the past 10 years.

The results of the polls in the two states, along with that of Tripura, will be declared on Saturday, March 3. The high-octane Meghalaya and Nagaland Assembly elections campaign, during which barbs flew thick and fast among parties, ended on Sunday.

Here are the top 10 developments in the crucial Meghalaya and Nagaland Assembly polls: 1) Naga political solution after polls: Speaking to news agencies, Nagaland CM TR Zeliang said, "We expect that polling will finish smoothly and we will get absolute majority according to the voice of the people. We hope peace will prevail in the state and we will move for Naga political solution."

Article Source By : Business Standard