Tripura Assembly polls: Narendra Modi urges voters to turn out in record numbers

Modi tweeted: " I appeal to my sisters and brothers of Tripura, particularly young voters, to turnout in record numbers and cast their vote in the Assembly Elections. "
  Amid tight security, voting to elect a new Tripura Assembly commenced on Saturday.

The Left is ruling the state for the past 25 years.

Voting in 59 out of 60 Assembly seats of Tripura is taking place on Sunday.

The polling in the reserved Charilam seat of the state has been rescheduled to March 12 due to the death of CPI-M candidate Ramendra Narayan Debbarma, media report said.

Manik Sarkar, the poorest Chief Minister of the country, is leading the CPI-M-led Left Front government in the state for 25 years.

Manik Sarkar is the longest serving Chief Minister of any state followed by late Jyoti Basu, who was at the helm in West Bengal.

Tripura, a CPI-M bastion, is one of the two states where the Left still rules.

The campaigns in the state were held by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah largely for the Feb 18 poll.

The Congress was barely present in the campaign trials in the state this time.

The BJP, which has stormed the north and northeast India in last few years, is trying to keep its footprint in the eastern state of India.

CPI-M and CPI together are having 51 out of total 60 Assembly seats in the state.

While CPI-M claims to return to power, BJP President Amit Shah has asserted that the next Tripura government will be formed by the saffron party only.

PM Modi said the Communist party will be uprooted from the state by the BJP.

The poll results will be out on Mar 3.