Agartala, Mar 24: The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday announced its full list of candidates for the upcoming Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) elections, confirming that it will contest all 28 seats independently. The announcement was made during a press conference at the party’s state headquarters.
BJP Tripura Pradesh President Rajib Bhattacharjee said the decision was taken by the party’s core committee after detailed deliberations. “We have decided to field candidates in all 28 seats. The selected candidates will file their nomination papers within the next two days,” he told reporters.
The move marks a clear departure from the 2021 TTAADC elections, when the BJP had contested fewer seats due to a seat-sharing arrangement with its ally, the Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT). This time, the party has chosen to go solo, without any alliance with either IPFT or Pradyot Bikram Manikya Debbarma-led Tipra Motha.
Several key party functionaries have been fielded, including General Secretary Bipin Debbarma, Vice President Bimal Chakma, and Secretaries David Debbarma and Bhumikananda Reang. According to Bhattacharjee, the party has retained most of its sitting Members of District Council (MDCs), making only two changes in Machmara and Manu-Chailengta constituencies. The BJP had secured nine seats in the 2021 elections.
In a notable development, two leaders from Tipra Motha—Sadagar Kaloi and Ananta Debbarma—were given tickets shortly after joining the BJP. Chief Minister Manik Saha formally welcomed them into the party in the presence of senior leaders.
Appealing to voters, Bhattacharjee urged the electorate in the Sixth Schedule areas to support the BJP. “We seek votes to establish a transparent and accountable council that will work for the welfare and development of the people,” he said.
The candidate list includes Rabindra Reang from Damchhara–Jampui, Manju Rani Sarkar from Machmara, Sailendra Nath from Dasda–Kanchanpur, Bimal Kanti Chakma from Karamchhara, and Esmel Joy Tripura from Chawmanu, among others, covering all constituencies across the TTAADC region.
With a full slate of candidates and a strategy to contest independently, the BJP is aiming to strengthen its presence and improve its performance in the tribal council elections.
