Apart from the CPI(M), a ‘battle royale’ between the ruling BJP and the challenger TMC, which once ruled Tripura with an iron grip, elections to the Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC) and 13 other civic bodies in Tripura. expected to come. on Thursday amid allegations of court cases, arrests and attacks by political parties.
The ruling BJP, which has fielded candidates on all seats in the Tripura civic polls, has already won 112 of the total 334 seats in the Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC) and 19 urban bodies unopposed.
Still, the remaining seats are expected to be a three-way fight, given the high-voltage drama witnessed in the elections, in which the TMC sent its leaders to Tripura and the BJP fought politically.
For the TMC, a strong footprint in Agartala and elsewhere in the northeastern state is essential as it hopes to topple the BJP in Tripura’s state election in 2023 and emerge as a strong opposition to the BJP at the national level. Whereas for the CPI(M), there is a chance to show that it still holds deep pockets of influence in the state.
A total of 785 candidates are in the fray for the remaining 222 seats after 36 candidates withdrew their nominations. There are overall 334 seats in urban local bodies, including the Agartala Municipal Corporation (51 wards), 13 city councils and six nagar panchayats, across the state.
An official said that 36 candidates, including 15 from the opposition CPI(M), four of the Trinamool Congress (TMC), eight from the Congress, two from the AIFB and seven independents, withdrew their nominations.
There are no opposition candidates in Ambassa Municipal Council, Jirania Nagar Panchayat, Mohanpur Municipal Council, Ranibazar Municipal Council, Vishalgarh Nagar Parishad, Udaipur Municipal Council and Santirbazar Municipal Council.
A total of 5,94,772 voters are eligible to vote in the municipal elections and the number of female voters is more than male voters in urban areas.
TMC youth leader Sayoni Ghosh was arrested on charges of criminal intimidation and attempt to murder Court granted bail on Monday Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate in West Tripura district K.
The West Bengal Trinamool Youth Congress president was arrested on Sunday on charges of criminal intimidation, attempt to murder and promoting enmity between groups after he raised the party’s ‘khela hobe’ (game will be played) slogan outside a meeting. Imposed. State Chief Minister Biplab Deb.
The TMC leadership claimed that several party workers came under attack when they had gathered outside the police station where Ghosh was taken after his arrest.
The state is witnessing protests and violence ahead of the elections. CPI(M) state secretary Jitendra Choudhary alleged that their candidates were forced to withdraw their nominations “due to the terror unleashed by goons” because of their allegiance to the BJP.
Read also: Will return to Tripura, won’t move an inch: TMC leader Sayoni Ghosh
“Violence started long before the schedule for the municipal elections was announced. Several workers of our party were attacked and our candidates in five city councils and two nagar panchayats could not file their nominations. By BJP-dependent goons. An unprecedented panic was unleashed,” he told reporters.
Earlier in the last week of October, TMC’s Sushmita Dev had written a letter to Tripura Governor Satyadev Narayan Arya seeking interference in law and order in the state, alleging that the situation was extremely dire.
In her letter, she wrote: “The extremely serious situation prevailing in the state of Tripura requires immediate attention. Law and order is the worst. Violence and vandalism against people and property has been witnessed in many districts of Tripura.”
The upcoming municipal elections are important for all parties and are being seen as a precursor to the assembly elections due in 2023.
Days ahead of the civic polls in Tripura, two rebel MLAs of the ruling BJP in the state on Tuesday alleged that the recent political violence in Tripura has tarnished the reputation of the party and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, affecting the saffron party’s electoral prospects. Can do. In the assembly elections of five states
The country’s top court, the Tripura High Court and even Union Home Minister Amit Shah had to intervene in the recent political violence ahead of civic polls, MLAs Sudip Roy Barman and Ashish Saha told a press conference here.
On November 11, the top court had directed the Tripura government to ensure that no political party, including the TMC, is prevented from pursuing electoral rights in accordance with law and from campaigning in a peaceful and orderly manner for the local body elections in the state. Go.
It had issued notice to the state government on a petition by TMC and its Rajya Sabha MP Sushmita Dev, alleging widespread violence against party workers and representatives, seeking protection.
Alleging police violence in Tripura, a delegation of TMC MPs met Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday.
The MLAs sitting on a dharna outside the Home Ministry since Monday morning were given time to meet Shah in the afternoon.
BJP MLA Ashish Das, a close aide of Burman, had joined the Trinamool Congress on October 31 at a public meeting here carrying the party’s flag from AITC general secretary Abhishek Banerjee.
A highly placed source in the BJP said, “The rebel MLAs, including Burman, Saha and others, are maintaining close ties with the TMC and they are working to damage the political prospects of our party.”
Read also: BJP-TMC fight in Tripura civic polls reaches Supreme Court
Watch: Supreme Court refuses to postpone Tripura civic polls