The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies are putting up a spirited fight against the Congress in India's northeast, taking the lead in at least four states.
According to latest trends, the BJP and its allies are leading in both the seats in Arunachal Pradesh and the lone seats in Mizoram and Nagaland, besides one of the two seats in Meghalaya. Two BJP candidates are also leading in Assam.
In Assam, the Congress is facing reverses with only eight of its candidates leading.
In the 1999 general elections, the Congress had won 10 of the 14 seats in Assam.
According to the latest trends, noted balladeer Bhupen Hazarika of the BJP is trailing by more than 10,000 votes in the prestigious Guwahati parliamentary constituency against his nearest Congress party rival Kirip Chaliha.
Interestingly, the regional Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) that drew a blank in the last elections has taken an early lead in three seats thereby upsetting the Congress' juggernaut in the state.
In Sikkim, reports indicate that the Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) will win the lone seat.
Counting is on for 24 of the total 25 parliamentary seats in the eight northeastern states of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Tripura, Manipur and Sikkim.
Repolling in some polling booths in one of the two Manipur constituencies takes place on May 17 and counting would take place on May 19 due to the disturbed security situation.
{{/usCountry}}Repolling in some polling booths in one of the two Manipur constituencies takes place on May 17 and counting would take place on May 19 due to the disturbed security situation.
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