Left Front poised for landslide win in Tripura

Has won 11 seats, is leading in 44 others in the 60-member Assembly

The Left Front was today poised to return to power in Tripura for a fifth straight term since 1993, winning 11 seats and leading in 44 others in the 60- member Assembly, and is headed for a two-thirds majority.

Congress has wound up with one seat and was leading in seven constituencies while its ally INPT and NCT have drawn a blank so far.

Among Left Front partners, CPI(M) has won 10 seats and CPI one.

Prominent winners of the Left Front are Jail Minister Manindra Reang, Finance Minister Badal Chowdhury, Agriculture Minister Aghore Debbarma and Industries Minister Jitendra Chowdhury.

Chief Minister Manik Sarkar is leading from Dhanpur.

Congress candidate Jitendra Sarkar has won from Barjala. Sarkar, a former speaker, had joined Congress.

The Left Front has established leads over the Opposition alliance of Congress, Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura and National Congress of Tripura in 44 seats, according to available trends.