Also see: Live updates of Tripura council elections 2023
Before the 2024 Lok Sabha poll, Tripura council elections is a crucial test for the ruling BJP, which is facing a challenge from two-year-old Tipra Motha. The latter group has advanced deep into tribal constituencies, highlighted by their victory in the 2021 tribal council (TTAADC) polls.
In the state’s 60-member parliament, 20 seats are reserved for the tribal areas that hold the key to power in the northeastern state.
Adding to the BJP’s woes, the ruling party’s tribal ally IPFT has faced desertion over the past few months with many leaders and workers joining Tipra Motha.
The BJP is running for 55 seats, its ally the IPFT has fielded candidates in five constituencies. CPI(M) will contest 47 seats while its coalition partner the National Assembly is competing in 13 constituencies. Tipra Motha has candidates in 42 seats.
Prime minister Manik Saha is BJP candidate from Bardowali Town constituency, while Union minister Pratima Bhowmik is running from Dhanpur for saffron party ticket. CPI(M) Secretary of State Jitendra Chaudhury, the face of the Left Parliament consortium, is vying for a seat on the Sabroom Council.
Tipra Motha supremo Debbarma is not in the fray.
During the campaign, the BJP highlighted the development that had taken place in the northeastern state over the past five years while the Left Front and Congress accused the BJP-led government of “mismanaging”. wrong and wrong”.
Tipra Motha’s poll is ‘Greater Tipraland’, a separate state for Tripura indigenous people, who have been reduced to a minority due to the uncontrolled influx of immigrants from East Bengal ( Bangladesh) before. According to the 2011 census, Tripura’s population is 36.74 lakh, of which about a third (11.6 lakh) are tribal.
In 1901, Tripura’s population was 1.73 lakh, with tribes making up almost 52.89% of the total. But by 1981, the tribal population had dropped to 28.44% of the total population of 2.05 million, according to government records.
In the 2018 congressional polls, the BJP made history by ending the 25-year Left Front regime in the state. The saffron party won 36 seats and its ally the eight-seat IPFT.
This time, a total of 28.13 thousand voters including 13,53 thousand women will decide the fate of 259 aspirants, including 20 women. Votes will be counted on March 2.
Elections Director (CEO) Gitte Kirankumar Dinakarro told PTI that the vote is being held under tight security conditions from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 3,337 polling stations, of which 1,100 were identified as sensitive and 28 important points.
International and federal boundaries have been cordoned off to prevent potential troublemakers from entering the state. Tripura shares a border of 856 km with Bangladesh.
(With input from agencies)
