Agartala, November 11: Tripura Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha on Wednesday launched his campaign for the November 27 urban local body elections with a door-to-door outreach programme in his birthplace in the capital city, seeking support for BJP candidate Ratna Datta in the Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC).
Saha began his campaign from Booth No. 16, which falls within his Bordowali Assembly constituency and where he said he had been born and spent much of his life. He personally accompanied Datta, an incumbent BJP councillor seeking re-election from the same ward, to meet residents and seek their support.
Speaking to reporters during the campaign, the Chief Minister said he was encouraged by the response from residents and claimed that people were expressing confidence in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership and the development undertaken under his government.
“Today, for the first time, I have come out to campaign at my own booth, Booth No. 16, where I am also a booth-level guardian. This is my Assembly constituency and my birthplace. My entire life and work are associated with this area,” Saha said.
He maintained that residents were able to compare the condition of their localities in the past with the development taking place now.
“The main issue in a local body election should be local development. I was myself surprised to see the changes when I visited different lanes and localities. Development has taken place in several areas, including ponds and lakes, electrification and drinking water facilities. People know what the situation was earlier and what it is today,” he said.
Saha also expressed confidence that the BJP would retain control of all the urban local bodies, referring to the party’s performance in the previous civic elections.
“Last time, we won all 20 local bodies. This time there are 21, and I believe we will win all 21. There is considerable support for us,” he said.
The Chief Minister’s campaign comes amid a politically significant change in the electoral alignment in Tripura. The BJP and its NDA ally, TIPRA Motha, announced on November 1 that they would contest the urban local body elections together. The understanding was reached at a meeting of senior leaders of the two parties in Agartala, although the final seat-sharing arrangements were discussed separately.
The opposition, meanwhile, is heading into the elections without a joint INDIA bloc arrangement, with the CPI(M)-led Left Front and the Congress contesting separately.
According to the final figures announced by State Election Commissioner P K Chakraborty after the withdrawal of nominations on November 10, a total of 810 candidates are in the fray for 268 seats across 21 urban local bodies. The remaining 77 of the total 345 seats have gone uncontested.
The BJP has 342 candidates, followed by the CPI(M) with 228, the Congress with 201, TIPRA Motha with 10 and 29 independents and candidates under other categories.
The Agartala Municipal Corporation, comprising 51 wards, will witness contests in all its wards. Polling across the state is scheduled for November 27, while counting will take place on December 2.
Saha’s decision to begin his campaign from his own neighbourhood gives the BJP’s civic poll campaign a personal touch, as the Chief Minister seeks to project development and the performance of the government as the principal themes of the election.
