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IPFT leaders announcing names of its candidates for Lok Sabha polls, in Agartala. Photo by Pranab Shill.
Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT), a regional ally of BJP-led Tripura government has announced its candidates for the two Lok Sabha seats after the saffron party refused to vacate one for the former.
The party named its president and revenue minister N C Debabarma for Tripura East constituency while young leader Sukha Charan Noatia was announced for the Tripura West.
This comes days after BJP's in-charge of Northeast, Ram Madhab claimed that IPFT would fight the Lok Sabha elections together.
The party said they had no option but to announce its candidates for the both Lok Sabha seats after BJP turned down its demand to vacate Tripura East, which is reserved for Scheduled Tribe candidate.
The party, however, said it was ready to withdraw the candidate if BJP agree to vacate the Tripura East seat.
In 2014, CPM had won both the seats but an anti-incumbancy helped BJP wrest power from Manik Sarkar-led government in March last year with IPFT as an ally. BJP has not announced its candidates for the two Lok Sabha seats yet but the saffron party stands strong for both the seats.
BJP and its allies are eyeing 21 of the 25 Lok Sabha seats in the Northeast.
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