GUWAHATI :  The NDA looks all set to win most of the seats in the Northeast but it showing won’t be as good as in 2019.

The Northeast has 25 seats – 14 in Assam, two each in Manipur, Tripura, Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh and one each in Nagaland, Mizoram and Sikkim. The BJP rules Assam, Arunachal, Tripura and Manipur and is a component of ruling coalitions in Nagaland and Meghalaya.

According to the latest updates, the BJP and allies were leading in 15 of them. The Congress was leading in 8 while others were leading in 2.

In 2019, the BJP-led NDA had bagged 19 of the 25 seats, UPA 4 and others 2. In Assam, the BJP was leading in eight seats, allies Asom Gana Parishad and United People’s Party Liberal in 1 each. The Congress was leading in four.

The BJP is also likely to win the four seats in Tripura and Arunachal Pradesh. It was leading by huge margins of votes in Tripura East and Tripura West seats. Former Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb contested from Tripura West.

 In Arunachal, Union minister Kiren Rijiju (Arunachal West) and BJP MP Tapir Gao (Arunachal East) were maintaining steady leads.

In ethnic violence-hit Manipur, the Congress was leading in both seats – Inner Manipur and Outer Manipur. The BJP contested from Inner Manipur and allowed ally Naga People’s Front (NPF) to contest from Outer Manipur. In 2019, the BJP had won from Inner Manipur and NPF from Outer Manipur seats.

When the state went to polls this time around, there was simmering anger among people over how the BJP handled the situation arising out of the conflict between Meiteis and Kuki-Zo tribals. The violence had left at least 219 people dead and over 60,000 others displaced.

In all probability, BJP ally National People’s Party (NPP), which rules Meghalaya, will suffer the biggest setback among the parties in the Northeast.

According to the latest updates, sitting MP Agatha Sangma of the NPP was trailing behind the Congress’ Saleng A Sangma by over 1.55 lakh votes in Tura. The seat has been with the PA Sangma family since 1977 except for 2 years (1989-91).

In Shillong, Dr Ricky Andrew J Syngkon of the Voice of the People Party (VPP) was leading by over 3.7 lakh votes. The seat is currently with state Congress chief Vincent H Pala. The NPP was trailing behind VPP and Congress.

The VPP is a two-and-half-year-old party but growing fast. It had sprung a surprise in the 2023 state elections by winning 4 seats.

Nagaland surprises  The Congress was leading in Nagaland, ruling Zoram People’s Movement in Mizoram and ruling Sikkim Krantikari Morcha in Sikkim.

The Congress, which has been out of power in Nagaland since 2023 and was battling for survival, has not yet won the seat but the performance will surely resurrect the party. Party workers have already started celebrating.  Ahead of the polls, nobody counted on the Congress which took on the might of ruling Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party which was backed by ally BJP