The counting of votes for the Assembly elections in three Northeastern states – Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura – is being held today amid tight security. The counting began at 8 AM.

The BJP, which has been making strong inroads in the Northeast, has emerged as a major contender in all the three states. Two exit polls have predicted BJP’s win in Tripura which has been ruled by the Left Front for 25 years. The saffron party is also hoping to consolidate its position in the other two states.

Meghalaya has been ruled by the Congress for 10 years and the party is attempting a hat-trick in the state. In Nagaland, the Naga People’s Front (NFP) has been in power since 2003, except for a three-month period of President’s rule in 2008.

While Tripura went to the polls on February 18, elections were held in Nagaland and Meghalaya on February 27. Though the strength of each of the Assemblies in the three states is 60 members, voting was held for 59 constituencies in all of them, for different reasons.