Only 4.62% of the 173 candidates running for the April 12 elections to the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) are women, indicating a significant gender disparity. The TTAADC, established in 1982 to enhance the socio-economic progress of tribal communities, holds substantial importance as the state’s second key constitutional body after the Assembly.
Among the candidates, only eight women are participating in the polls, as confirmed by officials of the Tripura State Election Commission (SEC). Notably, the major political parties like the Bharatiya Janata Party, its ally Tipra Motha Party (TMP), the Communist Party of India (Marxist), and the Congress have each fielded one female candidate.
The Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT) has nominated three women candidates, while an Independent candidate is also in the electoral race. The TMP and the IPFT, tribal-based parties and BJP allies, are contesting separately this time due to the absence of a seat-sharing agreement.
In the previous 2021 TTAADC elections, six women had contested, with two, Swapna Rani Das and Dolly Reang, emerging victorious. The council, comprising 28 elected members and two appointed by the state government, governs nearly two-thirds of Tripura’s land area and caters to a population of over 12.16 lakh, predominantly indigenous tribal groups.
The ongoing elections have attracted major political players such as the BJP, the CPI(M)-led Left Front, and the Congress, along with regional parties like the TMP and the IPFT, as well as several smaller parties and Independent candidates. Key players like the BJP, TMP, and the Left Front have candidates in all 28 seats, while the Congress is contesting 27 seats and the IPFT in 24. Additionally, there are 38 Independent candidates and nominees from smaller parties in the electoral fray.
The Tipra Motha Party has held power in the TTAADC since 2021, establishing its dominance in the last elections by securing 18 seats and taking control from the CPI(M). The BJP, contesting 11 seats, won nine, and a BJP-backed Independent candidate also clinched a victory and later aligned with the TMP. Tribals, constituting almost one-third of Tripura’s population, remain pivotal in the state’s political scenario.
