Tripura ULB polls: Left Front to contest 26 AMC seats, seat-sharing talks with Congress continue

The CPI(M)-led Left Front has reached a consensus to contest 26 seats in the upcoming Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC) elections, while negotiations with the Congress over seat-sharing for the remaining wards are expected to conclude within the next couple of days, Tripura Leader of the Opposition and CPI(M) State Committee Secretary Jitendra Chaudhury said on November 2.

Speaking to reporters during a rally accompanying candidates for filing their nomination papers, Chaudhury said the Left Front had finalised its candidates for the 26 seats.

He said discussions with the Congress were continuing over the remaining 25 seats, with the two parties working towards an electoral understanding in several wards.

According to Chaudhury, Congress leaders were returning from Delhi, and the remaining seats and candidates would be finalised through mutual discussions after their return.

The Left Front is expected to contest some additional seats, while the Congress is likely to field candidates in most of the remaining wards, he said.

Outlining the Left Front's priorities for the upcoming urban local body elections, Chaudhury said the alliance would focus on restoring democracy, addressing corruption and ensuring better civic services for urban residents.

He alleged that the ruling party's claims of development did not reflect the everyday concerns of ordinary people. He argued that development should be assessed through the quality of public services and improvements in people's lives rather than the wealth and assets accumulated by political leaders.

Chaudhury said the Left Front would seek to make civic administration more accountable and ensure that residents receive essential services.

He also indicated that the opposition parties were exploring coordinated electoral contests in other municipal bodies, suggesting that their strategy would extend beyond the Agartala Municipal Corporation.