Agartala

Tipra Motha Party has taken an early lead in the elections to the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council, moving ahead in 22 of the 28 seats after the third round of counting on Friday.

The Bharatiya Janata Party was leading in the remaining six seats, while the Communist Party of India (Marxist), Indian National Congress and Indigenous People's Front of Tripura were trailing across constituencies.

Although the Tipra Motha Party is a key ally in the BJP-led coalition government in Tripura, both parties chose to contest the tribal council polls independently.

Election officials said counting began peacefully at 8 am across 17 centres under heavy security arrangements.

In the previous 2021 elections, the Tipra Motha Party had won 18 seats, while the BJP secured nine.

Polling for the council elections was held on April 12, with voter turnout estimated at around 83 per cent. A few isolated incidents of violence were reported during voting.

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The autonomous district council covers nearly two-thirds of Tripura’s geographical area and serves a population of around 13 lakh people, making it a politically significant institution in the state.