Agartala, October 1: The BJP in Tripura has stepped up preparations for the upcoming elections to 21 urban local bodies, including the Agartala Municipal Corporation, with state president Abhishek Debroy saying the polls are likely to be held within the next two months.
Debroy, who is also an MLA, said organisational committees have been constituted at different levels and consultations have begun with party leaders and elected representatives to chalk out the strategy for the civic elections.
A meeting attended by Chief Minister Manik Saha, ministers, MLAs, district and mandal presidents and chairpersons of urban local bodies reviewed the party’s preparedness and discussed arrangements for the polls.
“An election is going to be held in the next one-and-a-half to two months. We discussed with everyone how we will move forward and what our policy will be,” Debroy told reporters after the meeting.
The BJP state president was also asked about the possibility of seat-sharing with its alliance partners TIPRA Motha and IPFT.
Debroy said the final decision on any electoral arrangement would be taken by the party’s central leadership.
He said TIPRA Motha and IPFT had a stronger organisational and electoral presence in tribal-dominated areas, while the BJP had a wider organisational presence across urban local bodies in the state.
“We are a national party. Whatever Delhi decides, we have to obey that,” Debroy said.
He said the BJP’s core committee, state organisational leadership and central leaders would consider the issue and provide directions to the state unit.
On the party’s proposed campaign, Debroy said development would be its main focus in the urban elections.
“Our agenda will be development,” he said, asking voters to assess the changes in urban areas under the BJP-led government.
Earlier, Saha said the meeting discussed election preparations, including reservation-related matters and organisational mobilisation.
The chief minister urged party leaders and workers to remain focused and active as the elections approach.
“Everyone has to take the matter seriously. There should not be any lethargy anywhere,” Saha said.
Saha also said the party would seek a fresh mandate based on the development work undertaken in urban areas.
Agartala Mayor and MLA Dipak Majumder and other senior BJP leaders attended the meeting.
The BJP has begun organisational mobilisation across the 21 urban local bodies as preparations gather pace for the forthcoming civic elections.
The issue of any electoral understanding with TIPRA Motha and IPFT, however, remains subject to a decision by the BJP’s central leadership.
