‘We will win all 51 AMC wards’: Manik Saha confident of NDA sweep in Tripura civic polls

Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on November 5 expressed confidence that the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) would secure a sweeping victory in the upcoming civic elections, predicting wins across all 51 wards of the Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC) and other urban local bodies.

Elections to 21 civic bodies in Tripura are scheduled to be held on November 27.

"We will win all 51 wards of the Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC) and secure victories in all municipalities and Nagar Panchayats," Saha told reporters after meeting BJP candidates contesting the AMC elections.

The BJP and its NDA ally, the Tipra Motha Party (TMP), are contesting the polls under the alliance banner. Meanwhile, the CPI(M) and the Congress, both constituents of the INDIA bloc, are yet to decide whether they will contest the elections together.

Backing his prediction with the state government's development record, Saha said urban areas had undergone significant improvements over the past five years, particularly within the AMC jurisdiction.

He cited the implementation of the multi-crore Smart City project in Agartala, improved drinking water infrastructure and better healthcare facilities as some of the key achievements of the government.

The chief minister also highlighted a Rs 1,500-crore project to lay underground electricity cables across all AMC wards, stating that it would help ensure uninterrupted power supply to residents.

"Once the project is implemented, it will improve the quality of power supply in the city and its extended areas," he said.

Saha maintained that the NDA would seek a fresh mandate on the basis of its performance, adding that the BJP treated every election as an opportunity to strengthen its engagement with the people.

"The BJP always considers every election as important because it paves the way to serve the people," he said.

The chief minister also called for peaceful polling, stressing that voters should be able to exercise their democratic rights freely and fairly.

The deadline for filing nomination papers for the November 27 civic elections is Friday.