Tripura tribal council elections to see multi-corner contest; 173 candidates in fray

The upcoming elections to the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC), scheduled for April 12, are set to witness a multi-corner contest with all major political parties fielding candidates across most seats.

According to the State Election Commission, a total of 173 candidates are in the fray for 28 seats after the withdrawal of nominations on March 28. Initially, 181 nomination papers were submitted, of which eight were withdrawn, leaving the final list of contestants.

Officials said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Tipra Motha Party (TMP) have contested separately in all 28 seats after seat-sharing talks failed. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M) is contesting in 27 seats, while the Congress has fielded candidates in 25 seats. The Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT), an ally of the BJP, has also nominated candidates in 24 seats.

Altogether, nearly 9.62 lakh voters will decide the fate of candidates in the tribal council elections.

State Election Commission Secretary Anurag Sen said the electoral battle will involve candidates from major parties, independents, and regional political outfits.

In the 2021 TTAADC elections, the Tipra Motha Party secured 18 seats to form the council, while the BJP–IPFT alliance won nine seats.

Polling for the 28-member council will be held on April 12, and counting of votes will take place on April 17.