Agartala, Nov 10 (IANS) Ahead of the November 27 Urban Local Body (ULB) elections, 77 ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidates have been declared elected unopposed by the Tripura State Election Commission (SEC) following the conclusion of the withdrawal of candidature process on Tuesday afternoon.
A senior SEC official said that as no opposition or other political parties had fielded candidates in the 65 seats across five municipal bodies — Kamalpur in Dhalai district, Santir Bazar in South Tripura district, and Ranir Bazar, Jirania and Mohanpur in West Tripura district — all 65 BJP candidates had been declared elected unopposed.
Besides, BJP candidates won 12 more seats in three municipal bodies in Ambassa in Dhalai district, Teliamura in Khowai district and Bishalgarh in Sepahijala district.
Meanwhile, leaders of the opposition CPI (M) and the Congress alleged that candidates belonging to opposition parties were threatened by “ruling party goons” and that their proposers were also intimidated and threatened to prevent them from contesting the ULB elections in the five municipal bodies.
CPI (M) Tripura State Secretary and Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Jitendra Chaudhury alleged that their party leaders, candidates and supporters were attacked by BJP workers and activists to prevent Left Front nominees from contesting the ULB elections.
He alleged that a series of violent attacks had taken place in several districts, leaving more than 20 CPI (M) leaders and members injured. Despite repeated written complaints and requests, neither the police nor the SEC officials took adequate steps to prevent the attacks or initiate action against those responsible, he claimed.
The Left leader further alleged that even the state police had failed to comply with the Tripura High Court’s order to provide security to opposition party candidates.
Congress Working Committee member Sudip Roy Barman and Tripura Pradesh Congress Committee president Asish Kumar Saha echoed similar allegations, accusing the ruling party of using intimidation and violence to undermine the electoral process.
Earlier, the CPI (M) and the Congress had made efforts to jointly contest the November 27 ULB elections. However, a series of meetings between the two parties failed to yield any positive outcome, and they could not reach an electoral understanding. The politically significant elections will be held in 16 of the state’s total of 21 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) spread across all eight districts, including the Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC), on November 27.
The SEC official said that a total of 6,29,903 voters, including 3,21,743 women, 3,08,115 men and 45 third-gender voters, are eligible to exercise their franchise in the November 27 elections. He also said that the terms of all 21 Urban Local Bodies, including the Agartala Municipal Corporation, are scheduled to expire on December 9.
Following the unopposed election of 77 BJP candidates, polling will be held in the remaining 268 seats out of a total of 345 seats across 16 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in the state.
The Agartala Municipal Corporation alone accounts for 51 seats. Of the total 345 seats in 21 Urban Local Bodies, 162 have been reserved for women, while 80 seats have been reserved for candidates belonging to the Scheduled Castes (SCs) and nine seats for candidates from the Scheduled Tribes (STs).
The counting of votes for the November 27 elections will be taken up on December 2.
–IANS
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