AGARTALA, Dec 12 (TIWN): Counting of votes for the municipal elections in Tripura is underway and the Left Front (LF) has taken an early lead according to trends. Amid tight security, the counting for the municipal election results in the state since Saturday morning.The election to 19 of the 20 urban local bodies in Tripura passed peacefully on Wednesday. However, the first phase of the counting of the votes shows that LF is way ahead with highest number of votes in almost all the wards.Counting of votes for the most awaited results of the civic polls began in full swing, and so far as the reports of the first phase of counting Left front is leading in 26 wards among 49 wards of AMC and congress with second lead in 4 wards so far till 11 Am in the morning, says Deputy election commissioner Tamal Majumder.The fate of 886 contesting candidates will come forward in just next few hours on Saturday as the counting of votes is going on full swing at Umakanta School. All arrangements have been made for the free and fair counting of votes. Majority of the results are expected to be out by afternoon. The counting of ballots began at 8-00 AM will end by afternoon. It is to be mentioned here that everyone is eyeing forward to the results of the civic poll in the state.There are about 5.24 lakh voters whose vote would decide the fate of 886 candidates across 657 polling booths.

There was no report of any violence during the polling period and the vote was conducted peacefully in the state. 

The ruling CPM has a municipality in Jirania and a few seats in Khowai and Amarpur uncontested. It has also won 10 panchayat seats in by-election uncontested.

However, LF has also made a clean sweep in Kamalpar Nagar panchayat.

There are a total of 886 contenders, including 429 women, from all parties in the fray. The Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party and Trinamool Congress besides the Left Front are among those contested the elections to the local urban bodies.

A total of 537,968 people, including 268,754 women, have cast their votes in the municipal elections.

The 144-year-old Agartala Municipal Corporation is the oldest municipal body in the north-eastern region. The Agartala municipality, which turned into a corporation two years back, was constituted in 1871.

Counting is undergoing is full swing at Umakanta school under strict security arrangements.

Huge security is deployed in Umakanta School where counting is underway and massive security arrangements are made to avoid any untoward incident.