AGARTALA, Sep 27 (TIWN): A single constituency’s election in Tripura’s Badharghat could not stay away from “errors” even on the counting day. Tension, resentment fueled as at least 24 VVPAT machines left damage on the counting day of Badharghat by-election. Earlier, opposition CPI-M (which is now leading in the second position after BJP) complained about a Govt official (SDM Sadar) who was seen in the Strong Room, was suspended from poll duties in Lok Sabha Election for his biased role in poll management. However, it is reported that once the counting will be at the end stage, the issue of VVPAT will be fixed, reported local media. Amid tight security the vote counting was started and BJP is all set to win and till 12 noon the gap between CPI-M and BJP candidates remained around 4,000 votes.

BJP candidate Mimi Majumder is ahead after 3rd phase of vote counting. The counting for assembly bypolls to Dantewada, Pala, Badharghat and Hamirpur seats in Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Tripura and Uttar Pradesh, respectively, have been started today morning. The polling was held on September 23.Over 79 per cent of the 57,906-strong electorate have cast their votes in the Badharghat Assembly by-poll in Tripura on Monday (Sep 23rd).

Here are the scores (after 5th round of counting) : 12 noon

BJP (Mimi Majumder) : 16,848 votes (1st) 

CPI-M (Bulti Biswas) : 12,045 votes (2nd)

Congress (Ratan Das) : 7,050 votes (3rd)

Badharghat by-election vote counting been started from 8 AM amid tight security. 

Last month the Election Commission announced bypolls for four Assembly seats in the four states.  The ECI had taken the decision to hold by-polls after taking into consideration various factors like local festivals, electoral rolls, weather conditions etc.

 In a four-cornered electoral battle, the by-poll is being contested between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Mimi Majumder, opposition Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led Left Front nominee Bulti Biswas, Congress aspirant Ratan Chandra Das and SUCI(C) contestant Mridul Kanti Sarkar.

The by-poll to the Badharghat seat, reserved for Scheduled Caste candidates, was necessitated following the death of sitting BJP legislator Dilip Sarkar.  Five-time Congress legislator Sarkar, who joined the BJP in 2017 along with seven other Congress MLAs, died on April 1 after prolonged illness.