Tripura goes to polls today

Battle lines have been drawn for today's poll for the 60-member Tripura Assembly where the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the ruling Left Front are jostling for the attention of voters.

Voting for the 59 out of 60 seats will be held at 3,214 polling stations in between 7 am to 4 pm. Polling in the Charilam constituency has been deferred due to the death of CPM candidate Ramendra Narayan Debbarma. It will be held on 12 March.

The much-awaited polling in this northeastern state will decide the electoral fortunes of 292 candidates, including 23 women.

The BJP and the Congress party are looking to root out the Communist Party of India (Marxist), which has been ruling the state for the past 25 years.

In their attempt to remove the Manik Sarkar-led government from the state, the BJP has tied up with the Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT). While the BJP is contesting from 51 seats, IPFT has been given the remaining nine seats.

The CPM has fielded candidates on 57 seats, leaving one each for its alliances.

The Congress, on the other hand, is fighting the battle alone.

The results of the polling will be declared on March 3 along with Nagaland and Meghalaya.