Tripura Assembly polls: BJP ahead, CPM trailing

8 am - Counting of votes began

8.25 am - Left leading in 7 seats, BJP in 5

8.30 am - BJP ahead in 10 seats, CPM leading in 9 seats

8.35 am - Congress joins the fray with a lead in 2 seats, BJP ahead in 12 seats, CPM in 11

9 am - CPM leading in 23 seats, BJP ahead in 22

9.20 am - CPM ahead in 28 seats, BJP - 25.

9.35 am - Left leading in 30 seats, BJP up in 23 seats

9.45 am - CPM up in 34 seats, BJP leading in 21 seats

After initial rounds of counting, BJP maintains a clear lead in 33 seats while the CPM-led Left Front was leading in 26 seats.

10.10 am - CPM is ahead in 24 seats, BJP takes lead in 31 sears

10.30 am - BJP leading in 32 seats, CPM up in 25 seats.

11.00 am - BJP is ahead in 37 seats, CPM trailing

The counting of votes began today for the elections held on February 18 for 59 Tripura assembly constituencies.

The BJP, fielding candidates on 51 seats, has fought the elections with an alliance with the Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT). Most exit polls indicate that BJP will dethrone the Left Front led by Manik Sarkar.

While two exit polls predict that the BJP-led alliance may win over 35 seats in the state, a third one indicates a close contest could be between the CPM and the BJP in the 60-member assembly.