Tripura poll 2023: 259 candidates in fray, 32 nominations withdrawn

259 candidates from the upcoming Tripura assembly election are in the fray after 32 candidates withdraw their candidature on February 2.

Addressing a press conference this evening, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Kiran Gitte said for this forthcoming assembly election 310 nomination papers were submitted among these 19 nomination papers were rejected.

“We have rejected 19 nomination papers as they had no proposal papers of 10 people, they didn’t deposit security money and based on other issues. Among this 291 candidates were left and today on the last day of withdrawal of candidature 32 candidates withdrew it. After all the procedure 259 candidates are in the fray while in 2018 the number was 297”, said Gitte.

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After the final list came 28 candidates from Trinamool Congress, 55 from BJP, 1 from CPI, 43 from CPIM, 13 from Congress, 6 from IPFT, 42 of Tipra Motha, one each of TSP, RSP, CPI (ML) and AIFB, 2 of TPP, 7 of another unrecognized party while 58 are independent.

He further informed that from CPIM 13, 3 from Congress, 3 from Tipra Motha and the rest are independents who withdrew their candidature.

The process of ballot paper distribution will start tomorrow while the process of postal ballot vote will be started next week.

He further informed that the number of polling stations also increased from 3, 328 to 3, 337 polling stations.

Gitte further informed that the commission is providing security to the candidates based on threat perception.

So far 185 licensed arms were deposited soon after the Model Code of Conduct enforces.