Key candidates to watch out for in Tripura

The elections to the 60-member Tripura Assembly are due on February 16. Analysts believe that it will be a three-cornered election, with the Left-Congress alliance re-emerging in the state and newcomer Tipra Motha gaining widespread support in tribal areas.

A total of 259 candidates are in the electoral race, of which 20 are women and polling will be conducted at 3,328 polling stations amid tight security.

The BJP is contesting 55 Assembly seats, its ally IPFT has fielded candidates in six constituencies, while there will be friendly fight in one seat. The CPI(M) is contesting 47 seats and the Congress is fighting in 13 constituencies.

Tipra Motha, the regional party, which is contesting the elections without any alliance said the party would stake claim to form its government if no party gets a majority. The party, led by Pradyot Deb Barma has put up candidates in 42 seats

The Trinamool Congress has fielded nominees in 28 constituencies and there are 58 independent aspirants too.

With all eyes on the state, it all comes down to the key candidates in fray and how strongly they battle the polls out. Here are some of the key candidates to watch out:

Manik Saha

The BJP has fielded Tripura CM Manik Saha from the Bardowali seat. Saha was a member of the Congress till 2016, when he moved over to the BJP. He eventually became the president of the party's Tripura unit after Deb quit in 2020. Saha, who came as a surprise choice for the Chief Minister’s berth in May, said he has been able to gain the people’s faith in just a few months. "Wherever I go, I see people are happy as they have received several benefits from PMAY to piped water to toilets under several flagship programmes. (However) I do believe there is a need to do more in the employment generation segment", he said.

Also Read | Waning interest shows TMC failing Trends test in Tripura

Jitendra Chaudhury

Fielding from the Sabroom constituency, CPI(M) state secretary Jitendra Chaudhury has claimed that the ruling BJP-IPFT alliance will not be able to cross single digit in the Tripura elections. Congress, CPI(M) state secretary Jitendra Chaudhury said their alliance was trying for an "unofficial understanding" with the Tipra Motha to prevent the division of opposition votes."The BJP is now trembling in fear and going through a nightmare that people would reject them and they would be confined to single digit in the upcoming elections," he claimed.

Jishnu Deb Barma

Deputy Chief Minister Jishnu Deb Varma, another member of the erstwhile royal family, is the BJP candidate from the Charilam constituency. Not only is he the wealthiest candidate with 15.58 crore of movable and immovable assets, he is also the uncle of rival Tipra Motha chief Pradyot Deb Barma. Jishnu Deb Barma has been projected as the party's tribal face.

Pratima Bhoumik

Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment Pratima Bhowmik became the first minister of Tripura to be a Union Minister. Bhoumik is one of the 11 women candidates fielded by the BJP. She is contesting from the Dhanpur constituency. Pratima Bhoumik lost the 2018 election to four-time Chief Minister Manik Sarkar from the Dhanpur seat which has a sizeable number of minority community voters. A year later, she became a Lok Sabha MP and the minister of state for social justice and social empowerment. A BJP loyalist, she has been a part of the saffron part since 1991.

Ananta Banerjee

Contesting from the Bardowali constituency, Ananta Banerjee has been fielded by the TMC against CM and BJP leader Manik Saha. Earlier serving as general secretary of the Tripura Pradesh Congress Ananta Banerjee joined the TMC in December 2022, giving a boost to the Mamata led party.

Rajib Bhattacharjee

BJP state president Rajib Bhattacharjee is contesting from the Banamalipur seat. His participation is not only an interesting affair owing to his designation at the party but also because the seat that he is fighting for was won by BJP’s Biplab Kumar Deb back in 2018 who was the CM of Tripura before Manik Saha.

Rajib Banerjee

TMC turncoat Rajib Banerjee, had unsuccessfully contested the April-May West Bengal assembly poll on a BJP ticket. He is now TMC’s state incharge who has said the promises made in the manifesto will be implemented in true spirit if the party is voted to power. "Our leaders Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee do what they promise unlike others." He is a candidate to look out for not only because of his history with both the parties but also because of his statement on Tipra Motha.

“The Trinamool Congress does not support the Tipra Motha's demand for a 'greater Tipraland' or bifurcation of Tripura.”

Sudip Roy Burman

Fighting from the Agartala constituency, Sudip Roy is an interesting candidate due to his history with the BJP and current allegiance to the Congress. Barman had recently made a statement about BJP’s lack of chances to form a government. “Even if BJP rigs elections or breaks up a party post-poll, they won’t have numbers to form govt,” he said.

Birajit Sinha

The Congress has fielded its state president Birajit Sinha from the prestigious seat in Unakoti district. Ali who won the 2018 elections as a CPI(M) candidate by defeating Sinha, joined the ruling BJP, which has nominated him from the seat. It will be interesting to see whether history repeats itself or will Sinha set a new trend. Birajit Sinha had also been made the chairman of the 10-member election committee in the state. Sinha has also been vocal of the promises that BJP failed to implement in the state. "The BJP came to power in Tripura with lots of promises but it could not implement any of its promises. People will vote us to power as the party has earlier done many things for the people of the state. Former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi amending the Constitution gave the Tribal Autonomous Council to Tripura," Sinha had said.

Ranjit Deb Barma

Tipra Motha's Ranjit Deb Barma will be contesting from the Ramchandraghat assembly constituency in Khowai where he will be faced with yet another Ranjit Deb Barma from the CPI(M). Tipra Motha's Deb Barma was the chief of All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF), an armed group that fought a futile battle for years to liberate Tripura.

Tapas Dey

Former Congress legislator Tapas De joined Tipra Motha last year is fielding from the Mohanpur constituency. During his campaigns, Tapas Dey had said that the party had appealed to anti-BJP forces to come under one umbrella but neither the Left nor the Congress could commit to Greater Tipraland. “Also, voters of the CPI(M) and the grand old party are confused over whom to vote in the scenario of changed political alignment."

Subodh Deb Barma

Subodh Deb Barma is the Tipra Motha nominee in Charilam constituency who will be fighting veteran leader Jishnu Deb Barman from the BJP. Subodh is a trusted leader of the Tipra Motha given that they have filed him against Deputy CM Barman.