Kohima, Feb 28 (IANS): The Nagaland Peoples' Front (NPF) was Thursday ahead in the counting of ballots for the 60-member Nagaland assembly, officials said.
The NPF had bagged one seat and was ahead in 17 seats till 10.30 a.m. The Congress was in the lead in seven seats, officials said. Counting had started at 8 a.m.
While the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) was leading in two seats, the Janata Dal-United (JD-U) and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) were leading in one seat each, the sources added.
The state's ruling NPF-led Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN) alliance is hoping for a third consecutive term.
The counting of ballots will decide the fates of 188 candidates, including two women.
"Counting is on in full swing in all the 60 counting halls. It is peaceful and there is no report of any untoward incident being reported so far," Joint Chief Electoral Officer of Nagaland N. Moa Aier told IANS.
Three-tier security has been arranged in all the counting centres to ensure that counting goes off without a hitch.
In the last elections in the state in 2008, the NPF had secured 26 seats, while the Congress managed 23. The BJP and NCP secured two seats each. There were also seven independents who made it to the assembly.
DAN has the support of 35 legislators in the outgoing Nagaland assembly.