Campaigning ends peacefully for Tripura district council polls; BJP eyes Tipra Motha turf

Campaigning for the 28-member Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) elections concluded on April 10, marking the end of an intense political contest across the state’s tribal belt.

The TTAADC, which covers nearly two-thirds of Tripura’s geographical area and is home to around 13 lakh people, has emerged as a key battleground between regional and national parties.

The Tipra Motha Party (TMP), led by Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma, mounted a high-decibel campaign in a bid to retain control of the council. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), under Chief Minister Manik Saha, is seeking to wrest power from the regional outfit. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Indian National Congress also campaigned extensively.

Polling for all 28 seats, spread across eight districts, is scheduled for 12 April, with counting set for 17 April.

State Election Commission (SEC) secretary Anurag Sen said the campaign period ended without major incidents. “The campaigning… ended on Friday peacefully. The process was by and large peaceful,” he said.

A total of 9,62,679 electors are eligible to vote, deciding the fate of 173 candidates contesting the polls.

Security arrangements have been scaled up across the council areas. Director General of Police Anurag said “an elaborate security arrangement has been made” to ensure free and fair voting.

More than 12,000 personnel from the Tripura State Rifles and state police have been deployed, along with 24 companies of central paramilitary forces. “All the 1,257 booths will be manned by TSR jawans and state police personnel,” the DGP said, adding that additional central forces will be stationed in sensitive areas across constituencies.

The outcome is expected to shape the political direction of tribal governance in the state.