NEW DELHI: After the announcement by Tipra Motha that it will not ally with any political party, it is almost certain that BJP will go alone in the upcoming Tripura assembly elections. TIPRA Motha chief Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma on Friday said the party will go alone in Tripura – the day BJP’s Central Election Committee met here with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in attendance.
BJP national president J P Nadda, principal strategist Amit Shah, incumbent Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha were also present to finalise the candidates for the elections. After the meeting, sources in BJP said that the party leaders will have wide discussions before the finalising the candidates. “The final list of candidates will be announced by Saturday as the Central Election Committee has approved it,” said a source.
The saffron party will release the list of candidates for all seats in one go for the 60-member Tripura assembly, which is going to polls on February 16. The counting of votes will take place on March 2.
TIPRA Motha chief said his party will fight the election to defeat the party or the people opposed to the demand of ‘Greater Tipraland’. “Until the Government of India gives any written document for a Constitutional solution to our demand; we will not go for any coalition... Jitega toh jitega harega toh harega but one last fight to karke rahega! (Whether we win or lose, we will put up one last fight),” he said in a video clip uploaded on Facebook.
“What is the problem if our party (BJP) goes alone in the Tripura elections? We have delivered on developmental fronts and will retain the power comfortably whether any party comes or not for alliance with us,” a senior BJP leader who is in the know of party’s strategy for Tripura said.
Tripura polls will be a litmus test for BJP as the Opposition is gearing up by forming a formidable alliance.
“Issues like the ‘Greater Tipraland’ and others are likely to dominate in this election on which the ruling BJP will have to win the trust of people this time. If the BJP goes alone this time as no such formidable
alliance seems in sight, it will have to win the trust of people on local issues”, said a senior BJP leader.
The ticket distribution will now be done keeping in mind the emerging political clout of the CPI (M) and the Congress, and growing people’s sentiment with the demand of ‘Greater Tipraland’. Many of keen political observers of Tripura elections also feel that the statehood demand will affect results in 20 assembly seats which are dominated by tribal voters.