Agartala, Feb. 23: Tripura today cast a brisk, business-like ballot with a “model” efficiency that should do the Election Commission proud.

At 4pm, when polling was scheduled to be closed, 80 per cent of the 20.3 lakh-strong electorate had cast their votes and hundreds were still waiting outside booths across the state.

The final figures, chief electoral officer G.S.G. Ayyanger said, should be between 85 and 90 per cent.

The elections began at 7am amid tight security, though people formed snaky queues outside booths long before the doors were opened.

Polling was brisk in most places, with Rabindra Bhawan in Agartala achieving a record of sorts. All the 1,400 voters cast their votes at this booth by 3.30pm. Complaints of tardy polling in a few booths were accorded to “technical reasons”.

Altogether 200 central paramilitary companies, bolstered by daylong air-surveillance, ensured peaceful polling in 2,391 booths spread across 60 Assembly constituencies.

There was, of course, a round of political bickering, with the Congress blaming the ruling party of “intimidation”.

Congress spokesman and party candidate from Khayerpur, Ratan Chakraborty, alleged that Left Front supporters had been intimidating voters in Banikya Chowmuhuni and other areas of his constituency since last night.

“The police intervened following my complaint but threats and intimidation continued,” Chakraborty said.

Former chief minister Sudhir Ranjan Mazumder, seeking re-election from Town Bardowali, also sought intervention of the police and election observer in Kalitilla and the neighbouring areas.

In Sonamura subdivision, all four Congress candidates — Subal Bhowmik, Billal Mia, Shah Alam and Shukla Das — threatened to boycott the polls if the Election Commission observers did not force the “partisan” police to take action against the arm-twisting tactics of the ruling party.

The commission intervened, and the elections ended peacefully.

Terming the huge turnout as a “vote for change”, AICC general secretary and Union minister of state Prithviraj Chauhan predicted a Congress victory.

“We are going to form the next government after the results come out on March 7”.

CPM spokesman Gautam Das dismissed the Congress’s claims, saying that the Left Front would return to power with more votes and more seats.

He, however, complained of the high-handedness of security forces.

“A large number of voters returned without casting their votes in Hrishyamukh, Rajnagar and Jolaibari constituencies in Belonia subdivision of South Tripura, complaining of the high-handedness of security forces and technical problems,” Das said.

The counting in Tripura begins on March 7, along with Meghalaya and Nagaland.