Agartala, Nov 5: The Tripura Pradesh Congress on which ruled out an electoral understanding with the CPI(M)-led Left Front in the upcoming urban local body elections and announced that it would contest the Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC) polls independently, ending speculation over a possible opposition alliance despite their recent joint activities under the INDIA bloc on Thursday had submitted nominations for its candidates the upcoming urban body elections for Agartala Municipal Corporation.
Congress candidates, led by state party president and former MLA Ashish Kumar Saha and senior leader and MLA Sudip Roy Barman, took out a rally from Congress Bhavan to the office of the Sub-Divisional Magistrate in Sadar, Agartala, where they submitted their nomination papers.
Saha said the Congress would contest all 51 wards of the Agartala Municipal Corporation, submitting nominations for 50 seats on Thursday and the remaining one on Friday.
Outlining the party’s campaign agenda, Saha accused the BJP-led municipal corporation of failing to provide basic civic amenities and alleged that rising taxes had added to the burden on ordinary residents, particularly poorer sections.
He alleged that increased water charges and property taxes, poor urban planning, rising air pollution and inadequate control over construction activities had exposed the corporation’s failure in managing the state capital.
Saha also alleged large-scale corruption in the implementation of Smart City projects, claiming that ruling-party-linked contractors and vested interests had benefited while ordinary residents continued to suffer from inadequate civic services. He said the Congress campaign would focus on corruption, lack of development and accountability of elected representatives.
Roy Barman, meanwhile, highlighted deteriorating air quality, irregular drinking water supply, poor solid waste management and mosquito-related problems as major concerns facing Agartala residents.
“Development cannot be measured merely by the construction of buildings. Ordinary citizens must receive proper civic amenities and corruption must end,” he said, expressing confidence that voters would give the Congress a strong mandate.
The Congress’s decision to contest independently comes after its leaders held joint programmes with the Left Front under the INDIA bloc, including protests against the Election Commission and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
However, differences over seat-sharing and the CPI(M)’s alleged big-brother approach in alliance negotiations had complicated the possibility of a joint electoral contest. Sudip Roy Barman had earlier expressed reservations over the proposed arrangement.
The urban local body elections in Tripura are scheduled for November 27, with counting on December 2.
