NEW DELHI: The BJP is bracing up for “man to man” contest with the Manik Sarkar-led ruling CPI(M) in Tripura. The party’s central leadership is also believed to have sealed a poll alliance with Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT).
BJP’s Tripura incharge and Assam minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is learnt o have finalised seat adjustments with IPTF, which would now need to be endorsed by the central leadership. “The IPTF will be contesting 10 seats as per the agreement. There are 22 tribal dominated seats. The BJP will field its nominees on 12 remaining tribal dominated seats,” a source said.
“The BJP will put up a determined challenge to over two-and-a-half decades of Left rule in Tripura. There will be no polling booth that will not have a strong presence of BJP workers, who have been trained over several months. It will be a man to man contest against the Left,” said a senior BJP functionary.
Tripura has over 3,200 polling booths. The BJP, under Amit Shah’s leadership, has a clear electoral strategy to form polling booth executive committee that networks with the voters.
Eyeing tribals who comprise one-third of the state’s population, the BJP is going for alliance with the IPFT, dismissing concerns that Sircar could put the party in a spot by making IPFT’s separatist identity and insurgent past a poll issue. “The BJP is seeking to bring tribals into the mainstream of state politics,” said a BJP leader.