BJP Declared Winners In 77 Tripura Civic Seats Unopposed

Overview

• The Tripura State Election Commission declared 77 BJP candidates elected unopposed after the nomination withdrawal period ended on Tuesday, leaving 268 of the state’s 345 urban local body seats to be contested.
• Sixty-five of the unopposed seats are in five municipal bodies — Mohanpur, Kamalpur, Jirania, Ranirbazar and Santirbazar — and 12 more are in Ambassa, Teliamura and Bishalgarh.
• The SEC says 810 candidates will contest the 268 seats on November 27, with the BJP fielding 342 nominees, the CPI(M) 218 and the Congress 201; outlets report counting on either December 2 or December 3.
• Opposition parties allege threats, attacks and forced withdrawals that left more than 20 CPI(M) members injured during the nomination phase, while the SEC says district reports found no evidence of forced withdrawals in Ambassa or elsewhere in Dhalai.
• Failed talks between CPI(M) and Congress mean many wards will see three-way fights, which could shape control of municipal bodies whose terms end on December 9 and put a spotlight on voter turnout and security during the November 27 polls.