BJP wins 112 out of 334 seats uncontested in Tripura civic polls

The ruling BJP won 112 out of the total 334 seats uncontested in the civic body polls in Tripura, an official of the state Election Commission said on Tuesday. Monday was the last day for withdrawal of nominations, and the date of scrutiny had been fixed on November 5, the official said.

This will be the first civic election that the BJP will face after coming to power in the border state in 2018. Thirty-six candidates, including 15 candidates of the opposition CPI-M, four of Trinamool Congress (TMC), eight of Congress, two of the AIFB, and seven Independent candidates withdrew their nominations on Monday, the official said.

A total of 785 contestants are in the fray for the remaining 222 seats, elections for which are scheduled to be held on November 25.

Altogether there are 334 seats in the urban local bodies, including Agartala Municipal Corporation (51 wards), 13 Municipal Councils, and six Nagar Panchayats across the state.

There are no opposition candidates in seven urban bodies—Ambassa Municipal Council, Jirania Nagar Panchayat, Mohanpur Municipal Council, Ranirbazar Municipal Council, Bishalgarh Municipal Council, Udaipur Municipal Council and Santirbazar Municipal Council.

CPI(M) state secretary Jitendra Chaudhury alleged that their candidates were forced to withdraw their nominations due to terror let loose by goons sheltered by the BJP.

Violence began much before the announcement of the schedule of the civic polls. Many of our party activists were attacked and our candidates in five municipal councils and two nagar panchayats could not file their nominations. An unprecedented terror was let loose by BJP-sheltered goons, he told reporters.

The TMC, which is seeking to expand its base in Tripura, had said that it would contest the civic body polls in the north-eastern state.

A total of 5,94,772 voters are eligible to cast their votes in the civic poll and the number of women voters outnumber male voters in urban areas.