A multi-cornered contest is anticipated for the upcoming April 12 elections to the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC), considered the state’s second most crucial constitutional body. The council, with 28 elected members and two nominated by the state government, governs a significant portion of Tripura’s geographical area and is home to over 12.16 lakh people, predominantly from indigenous tribal communities.
Various political parties, including national parties like the BJP, CPI(M)-led Left Front, and Congress, along with regional parties like the Tipra Motha Party (TMP) and the Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT), have collectively put forward 180 candidates across the 28 seats. The final electoral landscape will become clearer after the nomination withdrawal on March 28.
The BJP, Left parties, and TMP have candidates in all 28 seats, while Congress is contesting 27 seats and the IPFT 24. Additionally, 36 Independent candidates are participating in the elections. TMP founder Pradyot Bikram Manikya Debbarma recently engaged in discussions with BJP’s central leaders but ruled out an alliance due to unmet conditions from a previous accord.
Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha expressed confidence in the BJP’s prospects in the TTAADC elections, citing strong support from tribal communities. The TMP, which currently governs the TTAADC, and the IPFT have not coordinated their election strategies, leading to some discontent among BJP leaders. The political landscape in Tripura is intensifying as major parties vie for tribal voter support.
