Tripura polls: PM Modi urges people to cast votes in record numbers

Agartala: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday urged the Tripura people to cast their votes in record numbers in the elections to the 60-member state Assembly.

Modi tweeted: “Urging the people of Tripura to vote in record numbers and strengthen the festival of democracy. I specially call upon the youth to exercise their franchise.”

The voting for the Tripura Assembly elections began at 7 a.m. on Thursday morning amid tight security measures, election officials said.

Men and women in large numbers queued up in front of polling stations before the voting began.

The polling would continue till 4 p.m. without any break.

Tripura Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Gitte Kirankumar Dinkarrao said that a total of 259 candidates, including 31 women, are testing their electoral fortunes in the elections.

In all, 28.14 lakh voters, including 13.99 lakh women electorate are eligible to cast their votes in Thursday’s balloting.