It's strange but its true. People in Tripura are tracking Manipur exit poll results very keenly. The interest level spiked within minutes of TV channels and websites publishing the projections for the parties, revealed Google trends data.
What could be the reason?
There is a probability that people in Tripura and another state, Mizoram, suffering from fuel crisis as a result of the economic blockade in Manipur, for which the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) has held the Congress government responsible.
The two landlocked states (Tripura and Mizoram) are bearing the maximum brunt of the blockade, imposed from November 1, 2016 by the United Naga Council on two national highways, cutting crucial lifelines for the two states.
While campaigning for his party, BJP president Amit Shah promised to resolve the blockade if his party was voted to power in the Assembly elections.
"Our first task would be to end the indefinite economic blockade and all efforts will be carried out to make the state free from bandhs and blockades," PTI quoted him as saying during an election rally on March 3.
"The state has huge potential in the tourism sector which has not been utilised by the Congress during the last 15 years of its rule. BJP will make Manipur a model state if it comes to power," Shah added.
The blockade was declared "illegal" by the Manipur High Court on Monday.
Manipur went to polls in two phases, March 4 and March 8. The results will be declared on March 11, along with those of other states, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Goa.
Exit polls have predicted a victory for the BJP in the 60-member Manipur Assembly. If it indeed happens, the Congress will be unseated after 15 years.
Tripura, Manipur and Meghalaya observe their statehood day on January 21.
