<p>The ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) led Left Front is set to retain power for the fifth straight term in Tripura.<br /><br />The Left Front was leading in 44 seats while the opposition Congress-INPT (Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura) alliance was ahead in six seats in the initial rounds of counting of ballots for the 60-member house.<br /><br />Chief Minister Manik Sarkar was heading for victory from Dhaunpur in west Tripura while Finance Minister Badal Chowdhury and other cabinet colleagues were also leading against their Congress nominees.<br /><br />The Congress candidates who were ahead were state party chief Sudip Roy Barman and opposition leader Ratan Lal Nath in the Agartala and Mohanpur constituencies in western Tripura, respectively.<br /><br />The northeastern state of Tripura made electoral history when a record 93.57 percent of the 2.3 million electorate exercised their franchise in the Feb 14 election.<br /><br />Thursday's result of counting of ballots would decide the political fate of 249 candidates, including 15 women and many independents in 60 seats of the state assembly.<br /><br />"Counting of ballots have been under way in 60 halls in 17 venues simultaneously since 8 a.m. Final results are likely to be out by afternoon," Tripura chief electoral officer Ashutosh Jidal told IANS.<br /><br />The Left Front has been in power since 1978, barring one term during 1988 to 1993.<br />In the last elections in 2008, the Left registered a thumping victory.</p>.<p> The CPI-M alone won 46 seats and partners Communist Party of India and Revolutionary Socialist Party secured one and two seats respectively. The Congress bagged 10 seats and the INPT one.<br /><br /></p>
<p>The ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) led Left Front is set to retain power for the fifth straight term in Tripura.<br /><br />The Left Front was leading in 44 seats while the opposition Congress-INPT (Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura) alliance was ahead in six seats in the initial rounds of counting of ballots for the 60-member house.<br /><br />Chief Minister Manik Sarkar was heading for victory from Dhaunpur in west Tripura while Finance Minister Badal Chowdhury and other cabinet colleagues were also leading against their Congress nominees.<br /><br />The Congress candidates who were ahead were state party chief Sudip Roy Barman and opposition leader Ratan Lal Nath in the Agartala and Mohanpur constituencies in western Tripura, respectively.<br /><br />The northeastern state of Tripura made electoral history when a record 93.57 percent of the 2.3 million electorate exercised their franchise in the Feb 14 election.<br /><br />Thursday's result of counting of ballots would decide the political fate of 249 candidates, including 15 women and many independents in 60 seats of the state assembly.<br /><br />"Counting of ballots have been under way in 60 halls in 17 venues simultaneously since 8 a.m. Final results are likely to be out by afternoon," Tripura chief electoral officer Ashutosh Jidal told IANS.<br /><br />The Left Front has been in power since 1978, barring one term during 1988 to 1993.<br />In the last elections in 2008, the Left registered a thumping victory.</p>.<p> The CPI-M alone won 46 seats and partners Communist Party of India and Revolutionary Socialist Party secured one and two seats respectively. The Congress bagged 10 seats and the INPT one.<br /><br /></p>