<p>A multi-cornered fight is on the cards for by-elections to four Assembly constituencies in Tripura slated for June 23, which will set the tone for next year's Assembly elections.</p>.<p>The bypolls are significant for the ruling BJP given the fact that Chief Minister Manik Saha is one of the candidates. Saha, a dental-surgeon-turned politician, who replaced Biplab Kumar Deb in May as the CM, would be contesting his maiden elections. Saha, who joined BJP in 2016, is a Rajya Sabha member and has never contested an election.</p>.<p>Saha is contesting in Town Bardowali Assembly seat, where former BJP leader Ashish Saha was elected in 2018. Ashish had quit BJP in February and joined Congress. Congress has named Ashish Saha as their candidate from Town Bardowali. Sudip Roy Barman, a former minister in Biplab Kumar Deb's cabinet has been fielded by Congress in the Agartala seat. Barman quit BJP and joined Congress in February.</p>.<p>Elections for four Assembly seats, Agartala, Town Bardowali, Surma and Jubrajnagar were necessitated after three BJP MLAs switched over to Congress and Trinamool Congress and a CPI (M) MLA died. </p>.<p>BJP claims that the by-election would be a cakewalk for their candidates as the Opposition parties, CPI (M), Congress and Trinamool are contesting separately. Trinamool, on the other hand, says the by-elections would ring the alarm bell for BJP for its alleged failure to fulfil the promises it made to the people before the 2018 Assembly elections. "The four candidates we have fielded are well qualified and committed to the people of Tripura. Only Trinamool can be the credible alternative against BJP given the fact that both Congress and CPI (M) also failed as opposition parties to raise the voices of the people," TMC's Tripura in-charge, Rajib Banerjee told reporters in Agartala on Tuesday.</p>.<p>TMC has fielded Sanhita Banerjee against CM Manik Saha in the Town Bardowali seat. Banerjee, a woman candidate belongs to a family of freedom fighters, TMC said. </p>.<p>After the consecutive victory in Bengal, TMC set its eyes to defeat BJP in Tripura in the 2023 Assembly elections. </p>
<p>A multi-cornered fight is on the cards for by-elections to four Assembly constituencies in Tripura slated for June 23, which will set the tone for next year's Assembly elections.</p>.<p>The bypolls are significant for the ruling BJP given the fact that Chief Minister Manik Saha is one of the candidates. Saha, a dental-surgeon-turned politician, who replaced Biplab Kumar Deb in May as the CM, would be contesting his maiden elections. Saha, who joined BJP in 2016, is a Rajya Sabha member and has never contested an election.</p>.<p>Saha is contesting in Town Bardowali Assembly seat, where former BJP leader Ashish Saha was elected in 2018. Ashish had quit BJP in February and joined Congress. Congress has named Ashish Saha as their candidate from Town Bardowali. Sudip Roy Barman, a former minister in Biplab Kumar Deb's cabinet has been fielded by Congress in the Agartala seat. Barman quit BJP and joined Congress in February.</p>.<p>Elections for four Assembly seats, Agartala, Town Bardowali, Surma and Jubrajnagar were necessitated after three BJP MLAs switched over to Congress and Trinamool Congress and a CPI (M) MLA died. </p>.<p>BJP claims that the by-election would be a cakewalk for their candidates as the Opposition parties, CPI (M), Congress and Trinamool are contesting separately. Trinamool, on the other hand, says the by-elections would ring the alarm bell for BJP for its alleged failure to fulfil the promises it made to the people before the 2018 Assembly elections. "The four candidates we have fielded are well qualified and committed to the people of Tripura. Only Trinamool can be the credible alternative against BJP given the fact that both Congress and CPI (M) also failed as opposition parties to raise the voices of the people," TMC's Tripura in-charge, Rajib Banerjee told reporters in Agartala on Tuesday.</p>.<p>TMC has fielded Sanhita Banerjee against CM Manik Saha in the Town Bardowali seat. Banerjee, a woman candidate belongs to a family of freedom fighters, TMC said. </p>.<p>After the consecutive victory in Bengal, TMC set its eyes to defeat BJP in Tripura in the 2023 Assembly elections. </p>
